ZIP code
28638
in Hudson, North CarolinaPopulation 12,363
47.43/ 100
Ranked #19,634 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 39%)
Ranked #486 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 39%)
Ranked #16 of 24 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ZIPs (bottom 33%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
71.8%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Pharmacy access
0.42 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Grocery access
0.17 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST82ndUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›The read
Hudson, North Carolina (ZIP 28638), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 39% nationally (19,634th) and the bottom 39% of North Carolina (486th).
The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: lead in tap water stands at the national minimum, and pharmacy registers in the top 7.4% nationally. Grocery settles in the top 9.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic lies in the bottom 12.0% nationally, and short sleep rests in the bottom 21% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled pfas resides in the top 3.9% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden is in the top 12.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat stands in the top 20% nationally.
For anyone unfamiliar, 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. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 28630, just across the boundary.
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
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 78%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 59%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 45%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 80%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 58%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Disability
healthier than 41%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 28%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Disability
healthier than 39%
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
28630
North Carolinashares a border
Score 50.90
Closest healthier
28690
North Carolinaabout 1.9 mi away
Score 52.33
Similar health profile
28152
North Carolina98% similar profile
Score 47.35
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 | 30.7% | 27.3–34.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.9% | 34.6–43.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 9.9–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–10.9 |
| Depression among adults | 27.0% | 23.2–31.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.8% | 11.1–14.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.6% | 34.2–43.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.2% | 25.6–41.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.8% | 13.8–20.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.2% | 9.6–13.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 74.7–80.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.5% | 75.9–82.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.6% | 84.7–88.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.6% | 59.5–69.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 59.0% | 55.2–62.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.1% | 68.6–82.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.1% | 12.3–18.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.4% | 15.0–20.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.0% | 22.7–31.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.0% | 25.7–38.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.2% | 19.5–25.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 16.0–20.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.3% | 13.5–17.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.1% | 15.2–19.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.7% | 31.3–40.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.3–10.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.9% | 14.9–19.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.8% | 18.4–25.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 13.1–17.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.1% | 11.1–15.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–13.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.8% | 26.8–37.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.6–8.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 42.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 16.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 38.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $67,135 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $207,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $711 | $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 at birth | 77.0 yr ± 1.20 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.3 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 1.20 years of 77.0, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
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