ZIP code
28754
in Mars Hill, North CarolinaPopulation 9,682
56.47/ 100
Ranked #7,798 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)
Ranked #181 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #17 of 29 Asheville, NC ZIPs (bottom 41%)
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
74%
in the top 7.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
96.4%
in the top 8.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
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
Mars Hill, North Carolina (ZIP 28754) ranks in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,798th) and the top 23% of North Carolina (181st).
The strongest marks in the data are worth naming first: modeled tree cover stands in the top 7.3% nationally, and fiber broadband sits in the top 8.8% nationally. Modeled extreme heat resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep stands in the bottom 10.1% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home resides at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled mammography stands in the top 18% nationally, and childcare sits in the top 19% nationally. On the other side, distance to an emergency room resides in the top 13.5% nationally, and modeled pfas stands in the top 13.9% nationally.
For context, 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. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 28709, 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 71%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 74%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 70%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 94%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 25%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 29%
8%
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
28709
North Carolinashares a border
Score 58.23
Closest healthier
28787
North Carolinashares a border
Score 60.74
Similar health profile
28604
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 55.75
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 | 29.6% | 26.3–33.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.3% | 33.2–41.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 25.9% | 22.1–30.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.4% | 9.8–13.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.2% | 32.9–41.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.8% | 26.2–41.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.7% | 9.4–14.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.2% | 6.9–9.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.9% | 75.1–80.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.5% | 77.1–83.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.6% | 85.9–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.3% | 64.5–73.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.5% | 63.0–69.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.0% | 71.9–84.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.1% | 12.3–18.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.1% | 11.2–15.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.2% | 18.5–26.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.1% | 24.1–36.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.7% | 15.4–20.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.5–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.9% | 11.4–14.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.8% | 13.0–16.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.3% | 29.0–37.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.2–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.5–16.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.8% | 16.9–23.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 9.3–13.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.3–10.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.3–10.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.9–7.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.2% | 26.6–36.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 5.0–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 33.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 64.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 21.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 41.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $68,750 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $296,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $863 | $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 | 79.8 yr ± 1.29 | 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 1.29 years of 79.8, 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