ZIP code
28708
in Balsam Grove, North CarolinaPopulation 456
45.67/ 100
Ranked #21,685 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #556 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 30%)
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.
Tree cover
94.6%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
0.86%
in the bottom 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Crowded housing
22.4%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
5.2%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
3.8%
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
45.4%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
97.1%
in the top 6.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.13%
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Lead in tap water
5.8 ppb
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
US92ndDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.16%
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS9thDefinition & 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
Balsam Grove, North Carolina (ZIP 28708), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 32% nationally (21,685th) and the bottom 30% of North Carolina (556th).
The profile carries real weight, and several readings make that plain: crowded housing settles in the top 1.0% nationally, slow internet speeds lands in the top 3.2% nationally, and housing-cost burden rests in the top 5.3% nationally. Better still, modeled tree cover settles in the top 0.3% nationally, arsenic lands in the bottom 0.6% nationally, and pfas rests in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Homeownership settles in the top 6.4% nationally. Unemployment lands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure rests in the bottom 7.8% nationally. Households without a vehicle settles at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs.
Set within its surrounding area, crowded housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. 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. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 28712, 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.
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 32%
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
28712
North Carolinashares a border
Score 57.14
Closest healthier
28716
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.02
Similar health profile
28635
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 46.23
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 | 32.4% | 28.5–36.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.4% | 35.9–45.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.0–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.5–9.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.2% | 8.4–12.1 |
| Depression among adults | 27.9% | 23.6–32.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.0–15.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.6% | 33.8–43.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.1% | 28.8–45.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 3.8–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.2% | 15.5–23.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.1% | 7.6–13.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 74.5–80.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.9% | 76.3–83.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.9% | 84.6–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.3% | 57.7–68.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.4% | 52.4–60.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.0% | 64.1–80.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.7% | 11.9–17.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.0% | 14.6–21.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.1% | 21.0–31.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.2% | 27.2–41.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.4% | 18.6–26.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.5% | 16.0–21.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 13.5–18.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.5% | 14.8–20.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.0% | 31.6–42.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.2% | 8.6–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.7% | 14.7–20.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.2–5.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.2–7.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.6% | 17.9–25.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.2% | 12.0–19.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 10.3–16.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.1–13.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.0–10.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.9% | 26.6–37.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.5–9.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 45.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 97.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 22.4% | 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 | 49.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 9.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 44.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $70,435 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $242,900 | $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 | 77.3 yr ± 1.19 | 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 1.19 years of 77.3, 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