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ZIP code

28761

in Nebo, North CarolinaPopulation 8,150

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

47.86/ 100

Ranked #19,103 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 40%)

Ranked #470 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 41%)

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.

Tree cover

71.8%

in the top 8.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

The read

By the composite measure, Nebo, North Carolina (ZIP 28761) sits in the bottom 40% nationally (19,103rd) and the bottom 41% of North Carolina (470th).

continue reading

The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled tree cover lands in the top 8.3% nationally. Distance to a community health center resides at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home lies at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic settles in the bottom 13.8% nationally, and unemployment stands in the bottom 17% nationally. Subsidized affordable housing is in the top 21% nationally. Working the other way, modeled pfas rests in the top 18% nationally, and hearing disability sits in the top 20% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol registers in the top 19% nationally, and household income lands in the bottom 21% nationally.

In plain language, 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. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. ZIP 28018, about 0.7 miles away, ranks healthier overall.

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 67%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 60%

13%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 80%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 54%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 59%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 41%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 23%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 31%

8%

Disability

healthier than 27%

7%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 66%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 78%

5%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 46%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 42%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 51%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 33%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 38%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 39%

8%

Disability

healthier than 39%

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

One of our published findings lists 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 75.5 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $54,869 predicts 77.7 years — 2.3 years below.

    Ranked #3,077 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

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 adults33.9%30.5–37.8
High blood pressure among adults41.6%37.5–46.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.4%9.4–11.3
Current asthma among adults11.0%9.8–12.4
Coronary heart disease among adults8.9%8.0–9.9
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults10.3%9.2–11.6
Depression among adults25.9%22.4–29.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.9%12.2–16.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened41.6%37.4–46.2
Obesity among adults35.2%28.1–43.4
Stroke among adults4.5%4.2–4.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years17.7%14.6–21.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.4%8.7–12.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.0%77.2–82.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults81.0%77.8–84.0
Cholesterol screening among adults88.1%86.4–89.7
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.3%61.4–71.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults59.7%56.0–63.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.4%67.9–81.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.0%11.6–16.8
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.4%14.9–20.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults26.6%22.3–31.1
Short sleep duration among adults34.4%28.3–41.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults22.0%19.3–25.0
Frequent mental distress among adults17.0%15.1–19.1
Frequent physical distress among adults15.5%13.8–17.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.2%14.4–18.2
Any disability among adults36.7%32.2–41.3
Hearing disability among adults9.9%8.8–11.1
Independent living disability among adults9.6%8.5–10.7
Mobility disability among adults18.0%15.8–20.3
Self-care disability among adults4.9%4.4–5.4
Vision disability among adults6.0%5.4–6.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.5%18.3–25.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.5%12.3–17.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults12.3%10.6–14.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.4%8.9–12.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.8%6.8–8.9
Loneliness among adults31.6%26.7–36.7
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.1%6.2–8.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.9%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–6420.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)17.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)20.4%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)0.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle7.1%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription83.6%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)20.4%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate84.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.9%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population0.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households59.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+22.3%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age47.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$54,869$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$176,700$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758
Median gross rent$1,088$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 birth75.5 yr ± 0.7278.9 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 0.72 years of 75.5, 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