ZIP code
28734
in Franklin, North CarolinaPopulation 29,659
50.55/ 100
Ranked #15,491 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 48%)
Ranked #377 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 48%)
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.
Expected annual disaster loss
$1
in the top 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Tree cover
82.1%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
254 units
in the top 9.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST86thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.4%
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST20thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
10.8%
in the top 10.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & 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
Franklin, North Carolina (ZIP 28734), by its overall standing, sits in the top 48% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,491st) and the top 48% of North Carolina (377th).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the bottom 3.0% nationally, and tree cover registers in the top 4.1% nationally. Modeled extreme heat stands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 9.8% nationally, and modeled arsenic is in the bottom 9.9% nationally. Mental-health providers resides in the top 10.6% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. By contrast, modeled expected annual loss lies in the top 1.8% nationally, and disaster risk sits in the top 2.3% nationally. Modeled hearing disability settles in the top 10.9% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 28723, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 38%
8%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 62%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 91%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 78%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 30%
21%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
“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
2 of our published findings list 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 76.5 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $54,021 predicts 77.6 years — 1.1 years below.
Ranked #1,499 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 93.0 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 20.9 — 72 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #944 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
28713
North Carolinashares a border
Score 46.77
Closest healthier
28723
North Carolinashares a border
Score 50.89
Similar health profile
28743
North Carolina96% similar profile
Score 50.34
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 | 34.5% | 30.5–38.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.3% | 38.5–47.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.4% | 10.2–12.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Depression among adults | 25.8% | 21.6–29.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.2% | 12.1–16.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.5% | 36.5–46.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.6% | 27.3–44.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.4–5.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.2% | 11.5–17.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.0% | 9.3–12.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8–83.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.6% | 77.8–84.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.7% | 87.0–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.8% | 63.8–73.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.2% | 57.4–65.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.2% | 68.5–82.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.3% | 10.5–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.4% | 13.1–17.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.3% | 22.6–32.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.1% | 25.8–39.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.8% | 18.9–24.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.2% | 14.2–18.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.4–17.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.9% | 33.0–42.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.5% | 16.1–20.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.6–6.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.1% | 16.9–23.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.0% | 11.9–16.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.0–13.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.7–11.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.7% | 25.0–35.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 6.0–8.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 83.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 58.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 26.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 48.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $54,021 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $228,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $793 | $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 | 76.5 yr ± 0.56 | 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 0.56 years of 76.5, 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