ZIP code
28742
in Horse Shoe, North CarolinaPopulation 2,710
56.86/ 100
Ranked #7,403 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #170 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 21%)
Ranked #15 of 29 Asheville, NC ZIPs (bottom 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.
Tree cover
88.2%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
14.1%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
75.5%
in the bottom 10.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.8%
in the bottom 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
28.8%
in the bottom 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
11.7%
in the bottom 13.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS13thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
3.7 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 13.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.50%
in the bottom 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS15thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
2.4 pCi/L
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›The read
Horse Shoe, North Carolina (ZIP 28742), by its overall standing, sits in the top 23% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,403rd) and the top 21% of North Carolina (170th).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled tree cover is in the top 1.9% nationally, and arsenic resides in the bottom 5.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled energy burden lies in the bottom 9.0% nationally, and loneliness sits in the bottom 12.4% nationally. Modeled pfas settles in the bottom 13.1% nationally, and fatal road crashes registers in the bottom 13.5% nationally. Crowded housing stands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. By contrast, unemployment lands in the top 4.4% nationally, and home broadband subscription is in the bottom 10.5% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, 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. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 28704, 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 Asheville, NC metro area.
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 80%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 85%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 84%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 65%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 53%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 58%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 79%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 80%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 91%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 43%
14%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 43%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 39%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
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
28704
North Carolinashares a border
Score 58.12
Closest healthier
28739
North Carolinashares a border
Score 59.07
Similar health profile
04351
Maine98% similar profile
Score 58.53
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 | 31.2% | 27.8–34.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.7% | 33.7–41.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.5% | 9.6–11.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.8–8.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.0–9.0 |
| Depression among adults | 25.4% | 21.9–29.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.6% | 10.1–13.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.1% | 34.9–43.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.9% | 24.9–37.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.4% | 7.8–11.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.9% | 6.6–9.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.8% | 76.8–82.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.4% | 78.2–84.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.7% | 88.3–91.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 65.7–74.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.3% | 64.1–70.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.4% | 70.8–83.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.3% | 11.8–16.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.1% | 11.2–15.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.5% | 18.0–25.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.8% | 27.4–38.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.7% | 15.5–20.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.8–17.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.1% | 11.5–14.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.6% | 12.0–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.4% | 27.4–35.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.8–8.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.5% | 12.6–16.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.8% | 15.9–21.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.8–12.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.0–9.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–7.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.8% | 24.4–33.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.9–6.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 46.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 14.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 75.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 55.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 22.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 47.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $99,007 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $414,600 | $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 | 80.8 yr ± 1.05 | 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 1.05 years of 80.8, 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