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ZIP code

28733

in Fontana Dam, North CarolinaPopulation 63

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

52.97/ 100

Ranked #12,123 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 38%)

Ranked #270 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 34%)

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.

PFAS in drinking water

2.2%

in the bottom 0.07% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Median household income

$150,300

in the top 3.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US96th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Homeownership rate

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

75.9%

in the top 1.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Lead in tap water

0 ppb

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Tree cover

79.4%

in the top 5.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US95th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Slow internet speeds

2.2%

in the top 5.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility

16.5 mi

in the top 6.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US93rd
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 ›

Housing-cost burden

9.1%

in the bottom 8.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

The read

By its overall health score, Fontana Dam, North Carolina (ZIP 28733) lands in the top 38% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,123rd) and the top 34% of North Carolina (270th).

continue reading

The measures split the difference for this area: modeled pfas rests in the bottom 0.07% nationally, and household income is in the top 3.9% nationally. Modeled transportation noise stands at the national minimum, and homeownership settles at the national maximum. Modeled colon screening lies in the top 1.9% nationally, lead in tap water resides at the national minimum, and modeled tree cover lands in the top 5.2% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers in the top 6.9% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Against that, slow internet speeds rests in the top 5.2% nationally.

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. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. 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. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 28751, about 24 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 71%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 98%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 69%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 74%

11%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 58%

21%

Disability

healthier than 49%

7%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 11%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 35%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 23%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 74%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 72%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 94%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 65%

11%

Disability

healthier than 66%

7%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 60%

13%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 5%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 36%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 9%

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.

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 adults28.9%25.4–32.3
High blood pressure among adults34.3%29.8–38.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.4%8.4–10.6
Current asthma among adults11.6%10.1–13.3
Coronary heart disease among adults6.3%5.1–7.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.5%6.3–10.8
Depression among adults28.5%24.1–33.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.2%8.3–12.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.0%31.7–40.4
Obesity among adults32.7%24.9–41.0
Stroke among adults3.5%2.8–4.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years15.7%12.7–19.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.0%6.9–13.6
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.5%73.3–79.2
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.1%74.2–81.8
Cholesterol screening among adults84.8%81.8–87.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years75.9%70.7–80.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults62.7%58.9–66.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years79.7%75.7–83.4
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.2%13.3–19.6
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.5%11.0–18.5
No leisure-time physical activity among adults24.0%18.8–29.6
Short sleep duration among adults30.8%24.0–38.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.8%14.6–23.4
Frequent mental distress among adults18.7%16.1–21.6
Frequent physical distress among adults13.6%11.3–16.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.2%14.2–20.6
Any disability among adults34.6%28.9–40.8
Hearing disability among adults7.6%6.4–9.0
Independent living disability among adults9.2%7.5–11.3
Mobility disability among adults14.7%11.4–18.4
Self-care disability among adults3.5%2.7–4.5
Vision disability among adults4.8%3.8–5.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.7%17.5–26.5
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.6%9.2–17.2
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults9.5%6.8–13.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.2%7.1–11.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.4%5.9–9.4
Loneliness among adults34.7%28.8–41.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.7%4.6–7.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)14.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)6.3%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle13.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription79.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)9.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate100.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population39.7%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households68.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+87.3%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age72.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$150,300$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$276,000$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.0 yr ± 2.6578.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30877.3 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 2.65 years of 80.0, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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