ZIP code
28669
in Roaring River, North CarolinaPopulation 2,935
41.51/ 100
Ranked #25,649 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 20%)
Ranked #683 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 13.9%)
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.
Crowded housing
9.3%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
26.9%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
10.7%
in the top 11.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
92.1%
in the top 13.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.50%
in the bottom 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS15thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Roaring River, North Carolina (ZIP 28669) sits in the bottom 20% nationally (25,649th) and the bottom 13.9% of North Carolina (683rd).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: fiber broadband stands in the top 13.6% nationally, and modeled transportation noise resides in the bottom 15% nationally. Against that, crowded housing sits in the top 5.2% nationally, modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 8.8% nationally, and poverty resides in the top 9.0% nationally. Modeled hearing disability sits in the top 11.8% nationally, and stroke stands in the top 11.3% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease resides in the top 11.4% nationally, and mobility disability sits in the top 14.3% nationally. Modeled self-care disability stands in the top 13.1% nationally.
Put plainly, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 28621, 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.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 25%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 35%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 37%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
28621
North Carolinashares a border
Score 46.56
Closest healthier
28635
North Carolinashares a border
Score 46.23
Similar health profile
27046
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 42.21
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 | 35.0% | 31.2–38.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.1% | 39.6–48.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.3% | 9.3–11.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–10.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.0% | 10.5–13.7 |
| Depression among adults | 27.5% | 23.5–31.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.5% | 13.5–17.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.5% | 36.8–46.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.9% | 31.6–48.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.4% | 17.8–25.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.7% | 9.5–14.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.5% | 77.6–83.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.9% | 77.4–83.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.1% | 85.0–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.1% | 61.0–71.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 59.4% | 55.5–63.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.7% | 67.2–81.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.3% | 10.8–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.4% | 16.5–22.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.2% | 25.3–35.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.7% | 27.4–40.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.4% | 22.0–29.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.1–20.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.0–19.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.0% | 15.8–20.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.1% | 35.2–45.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.7% | 18.0–23.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.2–6.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.8% | 19.3–26.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.3% | 15.4–21.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.8% | 13.8–19.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.6–14.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.1–10.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.2% | 28.3–39.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.6–10.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 26.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 18.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 10.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 9.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 58.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 20.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 47.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $47,358 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $137,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $746 | $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 | 76.5 yr ± 0.81 | 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 0.81 years of 76.5, 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