ZIP code
28673
in Sherrills Ford, North CarolinaPopulation 6,874
58.27/ 100
Ranked #6,177 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #130 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 16%)
Ranked #1 of 24 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ZIPs (top 4.2%)
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.
Short sleep
28.9%
in the bottom 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.6%
in the bottom 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
3.3%
in the bottom 10.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
5.4%
in the bottom 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
5.0%
in the bottom 13.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$99,688
in the top 19% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS81stDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Sherrills Ford, North Carolina (ZIP 28673) ranks in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,177th) and the top 16% of North Carolina (130th).
A number of signals point in a favorable direction for this area: modeled short sleep lies in the bottom 5.5% nationally, and energy burden resides in the bottom 5.9% nationally. Poverty lands in the bottom 10.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Grocery sits in the top 12.0% nationally, modeled housing insecurity rests in the bottom 12.3% nationally, and modeled transportation is in the bottom 12.4% nationally. Modeled food insecurity stands in the bottom 12.8% nationally, utility shutoff settles in the bottom 13.5% nationally, and mammography lies in the top 11.1% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 28037, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 89%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 89%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 56%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 49%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 71%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 88%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 87%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 86%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 32%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 91%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 96%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 91%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 91%
8%
Disability
in the top 0.00%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 13%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 78.0 ± 1.8 years. A median household income of $99,688 predicts 80.1 years — 2.0 years below.
Ranked #2,700 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
28037
North Carolinashares a border
Score 61.40
Closest healthier
28117
North Carolinashares a border
Score 64.53
Similar health profile
24471
Virginia98% similar profile
Score 56.17
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 | 30.2% | 26.7–33.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.3% | 33.1–41.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.5% | 9.5–11.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.1–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 25.3% | 21.6–29.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.0% | 9.4–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.9% | 35.2–44.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.3% | 28.0–43.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.7% | 8.5–12.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.2% | 5.9–8.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.3% | 74.9–81.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.6% | 77.1–83.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.5% | 89.2–91.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.0% | 66.1–75.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.0% | 65.4–72.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.0% | 72.5–85.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.5% | 12.6–18.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.6% | 10.7–14.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.7% | 16.3–23.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.9% | 23.0–34.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.9% | 13.7–18.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.9% | 13.2–16.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.3% | 10.8–14.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.7% | 11.1–14.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.0% | 25.1–33.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.0% | 11.2–15.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.1% | 17.0–23.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.5–10.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.4–7.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.4–8.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.7–6.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.3% | 25.6–35.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.0% | 4.3–5.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 43.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 71.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 26.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 53.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $99,688 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $459,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,316 | $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 | 78.0 yr ± 0.91 | 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 0.91 years of 78.0, 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