ZIP code
28671
in Rutherford College, North CarolinaPopulation 375
55.16/ 100
Ranked #9,262 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 29%)
Ranked #212 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 27%)
Ranked #3 of 24 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ZIPs (top 12.5%)
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.
Hearing disability
14.5%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
25.1%
in the bottom 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
9.4%
in the bottom 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Housing insecurity
5.5%
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
11.9%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
76.3%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Utility shut-off threat
3.8%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
5.9%
in the top 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Rutherford College, North Carolina (ZIP 28671) lands in the top 29% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,262nd) and the top 27% of North Carolina (212th).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: modeled short sleep stands in the bottom 0.4% nationally, and binge drinking settles in the bottom 0.7% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity lies in the bottom 1.4% nationally, and utility shutoff resides in the bottom 2.8% nationally. Floodplain exposure lands at the national minimum, and modeled disaster risk registers in the bottom 3.6% nationally. On the other hand, modeled hearing disability sits in the top 0.6% nationally, coronary heart disease rests in the top 1.9% nationally, and pfas is in the top 2.7% nationally. Modeled stroke stands in the top 4.7% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of 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. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 28605, about 25 miles away.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 82%
16%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.8%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 99%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 89%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 66%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 80%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 99%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 99%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 91%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 72%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 52%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
in the bottom 0.00%
21%
Disability
healthier than 17%
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
28612
North Carolinashares a border
Score 47.28
Closest healthier
28605
North Carolinaabout 25 mi away
Score 61.11
Similar health profile
28722
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 54.64
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 | 42.8% | 38.3–47.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 48.7% | 43.6–53.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–19.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.5–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 11.9% | 9.8–14.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 7.8–13.2 |
| Depression among adults | 21.5% | 18.1–25.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.9% | 12.3–17.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.4% | 39.5–49.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 29.5% | 22.8–36.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.9% | 4.7–7.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 22.7% | 18.7–27.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.2% | 5.3–9.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 87.4% | 85.0–89.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 87.3% | 84.7–89.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 93.0% | 91.7–94.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 75.0% | 70.7–79.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 74.6% | 71.6–77.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.9% | 72.9–85.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 9.4% | 7.6–11.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.9% | 7.6–12.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.9% | 21.4–34.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 25.1% | 20.0–31.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.1% | 15.8–25.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 12.2% | 10.3–14.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.7% | 11.9–17.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.4% | 9.9–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.9% | 34.5–46.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 14.5% | 12.2–16.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.6% | 7.3–12.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.9% | 17.0–27.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.4–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.0% | 4.6–8.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.0% | 14.6–21.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 6.0–10.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 4.5–8.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.2–6.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 4.8% | 3.8–5.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.3% | 24.1–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 3.8% | 2.9–4.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 35.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.7% | 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) | 1.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 55.7% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 70.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 35.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 61.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $73,929 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $317,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 80.4 yr ± 1.25 | 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 1.25 years of 80.4, 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