ZIP code
28749
in Little Switzerland, North CarolinaPopulation 0
52.60/ 100
Ranked #12,635 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #286 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 36%)
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.
Floodplain exposure
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
7.5%
in the bottom 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
11.4%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
74.4%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
1.3%
in the top 9.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
72.9%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.0%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 13.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS13thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
42.4%
in the top 13.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS86thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, Little Switzerland, North Carolina (ZIP 28749) comes out in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,635th) and the top 36% of North Carolina (286th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The data is generous to this ZIP in several places worth naming: floodplain exposure stands at the national minimum, modeled pfas lands in the bottom 4.2% nationally, and modeled tree cover is in the top 7.2% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss resides in the bottom 8.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled colon screening lies in the top 7.6% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise sits at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Working the other way, modeled hearing disability settles in the top 7.0% nationally, and slow internet speeds registers in the top 9.1% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease stands in the top 9.7% nationally.
In plain 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. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 28777, 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 / SDOHPartial
healthier than 90%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 79%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOHPartial
healthier than 89%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 60%
13%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
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
28752
North Carolinashares a border
Score 47.13
Closest healthier
28777
North Carolinashares a border
Score 53.82
Similar health profile
28747
North Carolina96% similar profile
Score 52.15
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 | 34.8% | 31.8–38.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.5% | 39.1–46.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.2% | 11.0–13.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.0% | 8.8–11.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.2% | 8.5–12.3 |
| Depression among adults | 24.3% | 21.4–27.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.7% | 12.0–15.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.4% | 38.8–46.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.0% | 27.3–39.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.8% | 4.1–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.1% | 12.6–17.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.9% | 8.3–14.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.7% | 79.7–83.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.2% | 78.5–84.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.6% | 85.5–89.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.9% | 69.1–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.8% | 57.5–64.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.5% | 67.2–79.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.8% | 11.7–16.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.5% | 12.0–17.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.5% | 21.3–30.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.9% | 26.8–37.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.8% | 17.5–24.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.1–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.9% | 12.9–17.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.6% | 13.4–18.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.0% | 33.4–43.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.7–10.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.9% | 15.2–21.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–5.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.7–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.2% | 18.0–24.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.3–14.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.0–11.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.0–10.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 5.8–8.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.8% | 27.4–36.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | — | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | — | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | — | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | — | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | — | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | — | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | — | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | — | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | — | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | — | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | — | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | — | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | — | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | — | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | — | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | — | $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 | 78.1 yr ± 0.95 | 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 0.95 years of 78.1, 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