Skip to main content
ZipVitals

Menu

ZIP code

28692

in Vilas, North CarolinaPopulation 4,367

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

52.82/ 100

Ranked #12,347 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)

Ranked #274 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 35%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Fiber broadband

99.2%

in the top 4.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

Full methodology ›

Arsenic in groundwater

1.2%

in the bottom 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST6th
US5th
Definition & 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 hazardous-chemical facility

19.3 mi

in the top 5.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Tree cover

72.6%

in the top 8.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 10.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US89th
Definition & 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 ›

Floodplain exposure

0.70%

in the bottom 10.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US11th
Definition & 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 ›

Median household income

$43,103

in the bottom 7.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST8th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

20 per million

in the bottom 25% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US25th
Definition & 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

On the composite measure, Vilas, North Carolina (ZIP 28692) stands in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,347th) and the top 35% of North Carolina (274th).

continue reading

The strongest marks in the data are worth naming first: fiber broadband stands in the top 4.2% nationally, and modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 5.1% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides in the top 5.2% nationally, and modeled tree cover stands in the top 8.0% nationally. Modeled extreme heat sits at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure resides in the bottom 10.7% nationally, and modeled short sleep stands in the bottom 17% nationally. On the other side, modeled disaster risk sits in the top 10.6% nationally, and household income resides in the bottom 7.7% nationally. Recreation stands at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.

For clarity, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. 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. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. ZIP 28604, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.

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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 81%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 73%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 92%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 52%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 46%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 57%

13%

Disability

healthier than 48%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 55%

5%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 27%

8%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 67%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 67%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 64%

11%

Disability

healthier than 65%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

in the top 0.4%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 43%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 43%

13%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 45%

5%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 28%

8%

“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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults29.7%26.3–33.3
High blood pressure among adults36.8%32.6–41.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.5%8.6–10.4
Current asthma among adults10.7%9.5–12.1
Coronary heart disease among adults7.4%6.6–8.3
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.3%7.3–9.6
Depression among adults26.9%23.1–31.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.6%10.0–13.4
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened37.4%33.1–42.1
Obesity among adults35.4%27.4–43.9
Stroke among adults3.7%3.4–4.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years14.2%11.4–17.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years9.1%7.5–10.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure77.5%74.5–80.2
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.5%75.9–83.0
Cholesterol screening among adults86.8%84.9–88.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.5%61.3–71.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults63.7%59.8–67.2
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.9%67.8–82.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.4%13.4–19.8
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.3%12.0–17.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.2%19.0–27.8
Short sleep duration among adults31.4%25.3–38.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.8%16.2–21.7
Frequent mental distress among adults16.9%14.9–19.3
Frequent physical distress among adults13.4%11.8–15.4
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.3%13.4–17.5
Any disability among adults33.1%28.8–38.2
Hearing disability among adults8.6%7.6–9.7
Independent living disability among adults8.6%7.6–9.8
Mobility disability among adults14.7%12.7–17.1
Self-care disability among adults4.0%3.6–4.5
Vision disability among adults5.1%4.6–5.8
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.2%16.1–22.5
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.5%10.3–14.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.7%8.7–13.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.6%8.0–11.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.3%6.3–8.4
Loneliness among adults31.0%26.0–36.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.7%5.7–7.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–6415.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)5.1%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)42.1%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)6.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle8.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription95.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)26.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate74.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.3%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population0.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households63.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+19.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age44.2 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$43,103$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$324,900$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758
Median gross rent$958$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$957 ($715–$1,575) n=687
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled.
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