ZIP code
28640
in Jefferson, North CarolinaPopulation 4,820
50.96/ 100
Ranked #14,905 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #354 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 45%)
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.
Mental-health provider access
0.22 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.1 mi
in the bottom 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
98.4%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.65 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Physician access
2.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices 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
0.22 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
17.1 mi
in the top 6.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.43 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›The read
Jefferson, North Carolina (ZIP 28640) ranks in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,905th) and the top 45% of North Carolina (354th).
The strongest marks in the data are worth naming first: mental-health providers is in the top 3.7% nationally, and modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 3.8% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lies at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Fiber broadband is in the top 6.0% nationally, childcare registers in the top 6.1% nationally, and physicians lies in the top 6.3% nationally. Grocery is in the top 6.3% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers in the top 6.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. On the other side, distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 4.0% nationally.
Against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 28694, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 84%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 86%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 37%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 83%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 32%
14%
“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
28617
North Carolinashares a border
Score 47.13
Closest healthier
28694
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.09
Similar health profile
28714
North Carolina96% similar profile
Score 49.75
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 | 34.0% | 30.3–37.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.9% | 37.4–46.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.4–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.1% | 8.1–10.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.1 |
| Depression among adults | 25.5% | 21.7–29.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.4% | 11.6–15.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.7% | 36.0–45.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.0% | 27.8–44.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.1% | 13.0–19.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.5% | 8.7–12.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.4% | 77.6–83.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.8% | 77.4–83.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.3% | 86.7–89.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.5% | 62.4–72.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.3% | 58.5–66.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.4% | 68.6–83.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.9% | 11.3–16.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.5% | 13.2–18.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.2% | 21.8–31.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.5% | 26.1–39.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.3% | 18.5–24.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.1–17.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.5% | 13.7–17.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.0% | 32.4–41.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.4–20.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.2–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.6% | 17.4–24.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 10.9–15.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.9% | 9.0–12.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.2–11.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.3–8.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.1% | 26.0–36.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.6–7.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 20.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.0% | 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 | 7.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 63.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 32.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 51.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $53,155 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $282,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $797 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 2.31 | 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 2.31 years of 77.2, 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