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ZIP code

28624

in Ferguson, North CarolinaPopulation 1,438

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

31.64/ 100

Ranked #30,400 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 5.2%)

Ranked #781 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 1.6%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Coronary heart disease

13.6%

in the top 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

Stroke

7.1%

in the top 1.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

8.6%

in the top 1.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

14.1%

in the top 0.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

27.8%

in the top 1.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

Independent-living disability

15.0%

in the top 2.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Full methodology ›

Vision disability

10.3%

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

33.2%

in the top 4.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

20.1%

in the top 3.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

50.6%

in the top 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

The read

By the composite health measure, Ferguson, North Carolina (ZIP 28624) ranks in the bottom 5.2% nationally (30,400th) and the bottom 1.6% of North Carolina (781st).

continue reading

A number of measures mark where this area is under strain: modeled coronary heart disease resides in the top 0.5% nationally, and stroke registers in the top 1.1% nationally. Modeled self-care disability rests in the top 1.9% nationally, and hearing disability stands in the top 0.8% nationally. Modeled mobility disability lies in the top 1.2% nationally, independent living disability lands in the top 2.6% nationally, and vision disability sits in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health is in the top 4.1% nationally, diabetes settles in the top 3.7% nationally, and high blood pressure resides in the top 2.9% nationally.

Close by, ZIP 28606, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall. Modeled hearing disability resides in the top 0.8% nationally.

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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 87%

14%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 57%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 1%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 20%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 39%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 22%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 9%

8%

Disability

in the bottom 0.9%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 33%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 76%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 84%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 1%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 21%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 18%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 7%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 3%

8%

Disability

in the bottom 0.7%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 18%

5%

“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 ›

Findings that name this ZIP

One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.

  • Clean environment, heavy chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 86.7; chronic-disease standing 1.1 (bottom 10%) — 86 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #257 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults40.8%36.8–44.9
High blood pressure among adults50.6%46.0–55.2
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults11.4%10.1–12.6
Current asthma among adults12.1%10.6–13.7
Coronary heart disease among adults13.6%11.9–15.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults17.6%14.9–20.4
Depression among adults28.6%24.6–32.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults20.1%17.4–23.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened45.3%40.6–49.9
Obesity among adults43.1%34.6–51.5
Stroke among adults7.1%6.2–8.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years18.0%14.8–21.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years14.4%11.0–18.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.5%79.7–85.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults81.5%78.1–84.6
Cholesterol screening among adults86.0%83.7–88.1
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.4%61.4–71.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults57.3%53.5–61.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years70.3%62.2–77.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults11.7%9.5–14.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults25.1%21.1–29.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults36.9%31.2–43.2
Short sleep duration among adults33.4%27.2–39.8
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults33.2%28.5–38.3
Frequent mental distress among adults19.3%17.0–21.7
Frequent physical distress among adults21.3%18.5–24.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults21.3%18.4–24.4
Any disability among adults47.9%42.4–53.7
Hearing disability among adults14.1%12.4–16.0
Independent living disability among adults15.0%13.0–17.4
Mobility disability among adults27.8%24.0–32.0
Self-care disability among adults8.6%7.4–10.1
Vision disability among adults10.3%8.9–12.0
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.3%19.5–27.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults24.7%20.1–29.6
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults25.3%20.5–30.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.9%12.4–17.7
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults12.2%10.3–14.2
Loneliness among adults33.4%28.2–39.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults11.3%9.7–13.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–6411.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)18.1%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)15.1%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)5.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle11.1%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription72.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)8.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate80.7%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households36.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+30.3%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age57.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$51,836$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$202,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758
Median gross rent$436$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$957 ($715–$1,575) n=687
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth76.6 yr ± 1.5978.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30877.3 yr (74.6–80.8) n=747

About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 1.59 years of 76.6, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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