ZIP code
28689
in Union Grove, North CarolinaPopulation 2,188
45.80/ 100
Ranked #21,547 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 33%)
Ranked #553 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 30%)
Ranked #94 of 113 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ZIPs (bottom 17%)
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
14.0%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
98%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 8.6% 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 ›Child-care access
0.54 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
3.0%
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
9.1 mi
in the top 13.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
13.1%
in the bottom 14.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›The read
Union Grove, North Carolina (ZIP 28689), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 33% nationally (21,547th) and the bottom 30% of North Carolina (553rd).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: fiber broadband lands in the top 6.7% nationally, childcare rests in the top 9.0% nationally, and poverty settles in the bottom 9.6% nationally. Housing-cost burden lands in the bottom 14.3% nationally, and modeled short sleep rests in the bottom 18% nationally. Against that, crowded housing settles in the top 2.5% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the top 8.6% nationally. Distance to a nursing home rests in the top 13.1% nationally, and fatal road crashes settles in the top 16% nationally. Recreation lands at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Defined simply, for reference, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 28625, 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 41%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 25%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Disability
healthier than 14%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 7%
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
27020
North Carolinashares a border
Score 38.39
Closest healthier
28625
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.65
Similar health profile
27239
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 45.83
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 | 32.7% | 29.7–36.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.5% | 37.8–45.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.9–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 10.0–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.6% | 9.2–12.1 |
| Depression among adults | 27.3% | 24.0–30.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.6% | 11.9–15.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.2% | 36.5–43.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.1% | 29.9–42.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.1% | 14.6–19.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.4% | 9.5–13.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.0% | 76.4–81.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.1% | 77.1–82.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.6% | 84.9–88.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.8% | 61.2–69.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.4% | 55.0–61.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.0% | 69.4–81.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.4% | 12.1–16.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.4% | 15.7–21.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.8% | 23.6–32.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.6% | 26.6–36.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.1% | 20.1–26.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.1–20.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.1–17.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.5% | 15.4–19.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.4% | 34.0–43.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–11.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.3% | 15.9–20.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.9% | 18.8–25.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.3% | 13.7–19.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.3% | 11.9–16.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.9–13.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.6–9.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.1% | 27.9–36.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 7.0–9.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 27.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 13.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 14.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 11.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 42.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 11.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 46.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $70,565 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $157,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $900 | $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 ± 1.31 | 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 1.31 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