ZIP code
28619
in Drexel, North CarolinaPopulation 487
45.04/ 100
Ranked #22,358 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 30%)
Ranked #580 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 27%)
Ranked #22 of 24 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ZIPs (bottom 8.4%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Unemployment rate
28.3%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
80%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.9%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.7%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
11.5%
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
69.9%
in the bottom 6.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
22.7%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.05%
in the bottom 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS7thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.4%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Drexel, North Carolina (ZIP 28619) lands in the bottom 30% nationally (22,358th) and the bottom 27% of North Carolina (580th).
Several measures weigh most on this area's profile, and they come first: unemployment lies in the top 1.0% nationally, and modeled pfas lands in the top 1.9% nationally. Modeled hearing disability sits in the top 4.8% nationally, and stroke is in the top 6.0% nationally. Home broadband subscription settles in the bottom 6.1% nationally, modeled mobility disability resides in the top 7.5% nationally, and modeled coronary heart disease registers in the top 7.1% nationally. On the better side, modeled disaster risk rests in the bottom 3.3% nationally, binge drinking stands in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and transportation noise lies in the bottom 7.1% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 28655, just across the boundary, ranks better overall.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts. Compare it against the US, this state and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 75%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Disability
healthier than 12%
7%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 35%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 34%
14%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 87%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 87%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 65%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Disability
in the bottom 0.00%
7%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
28655
North Carolinashares a border
Score 45.84
Closest healthier
28690
North Carolinaabout 0.4 mi away
Score 52.33
Similar health profile
27565
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 46.69
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 39.3% | 35.1–43.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.1% | 41.3–50.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.5% | 11.1–13.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.4% | 8.9–12.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.7% | 9.4–14.5 |
| Depression among adults | 25.1% | 21.2–29.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.0% | 13.5–18.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.6% | 36.7–46.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.3% | 28.4–44.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.7% | 4.8–6.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.4% | 13.2–20.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.2% | 8.8–13.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.3% | 80.7–85.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.7% | 80.7–86.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.4% | 87.7–91.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.5% | 66.3–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.5% | 53.5–61.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.1% | 65.0–80.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.5% | 9.3–13.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.5% | 12.4–18.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.5% | 25.6–38.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.6% | 27.3–40.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.6% | 20.4–29.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.9% | 13.7–18.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.1–19.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.2% | 13.6–19.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.6% | 35.9–47.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.2–13.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.4% | 9.3–14.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.7% | 18.7–27.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.7% | 4.7–6.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.2–9.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.4% | 17.6–25.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.7% | 12.5–19.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.8% | 10.7–17.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.0% | 8.9–13.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.0% | 26.4–37.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.3–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 10.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 28.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 13.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 69.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 12.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 43.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 29.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 59.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $34,881 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $198,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $759 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $957 ($715–$1,575) n=687 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured