ZIP code
28763
in Otto, North CarolinaPopulation 2,688
44.79/ 100
Ranked #22,622 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #589 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 26%)
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
91%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.9%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Coronary heart disease
10.8%
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & 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 top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
8.7%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
5.4%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
46%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
42.8%
in the top 11.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
1.7%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS17thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Otto, North Carolina (ZIP 28763), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 29% nationally (22,622nd) and the bottom 26% of North Carolina (589th).
Where the data leans one way, another reading answers it: modeled tree cover settles in the top 1.1% nationally, industrial-pollution burden stands in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and pfas is in the bottom 6.3% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. On the other hand, modeled hearing disability sits in the top 4.8% nationally, and coronary heart disease registers in the top 5.1% nationally. Modeled disaster risk lands in the top 5.5% nationally, and stroke resides in the top 8.9% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure lies in the top 9.8% nationally, and mobility disability settles in the top 12.2% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. 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. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 28734, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 58%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Disability
healthier than 12%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 33%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Disability
healthier than 14%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 18%
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 ›
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 93.2 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 9.1 (bottom 10%) — 84 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #317 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
28734
North Carolinashares a border
Score 50.55
Closest healthier
28775
North Carolinashares a border
Score 56.96
Similar health profile
28615
North Carolina98% similar profile
Score 44.50
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 | 37.0% | 32.7–40.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.0% | 41.0–50.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.5% | 10.3–12.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 9.7–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.8% | 9.3–12.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.3% | 10.3–14.4 |
| Depression among adults | 26.8% | 22.5–31.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.0% | 13.5–18.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.8% | 37.7–47.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.8% | 28.9–46.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.4% | 4.7–6.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.8% | 14.7–21.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.3% | 8.9–13.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.8% | 78.6–84.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.0% | 78.4–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.5% | 86.5–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.3% | 60.8–71.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.7% | 52.8–60.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.9% | 70.3–84.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.6% | 10.0–15.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.9% | 14.8–21.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.1% | 24.4–35.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.0% | 26.6–39.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.9% | 20.9–28.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.1% | 14.9–19.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 14.7–19.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.0% | 14.7–19.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.9% | 35.3–46.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.4–13.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.3–12.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.3% | 18.1–24.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.0–6.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.3–8.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.1% | 16.7–23.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.6% | 13.6–19.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.3% | 12.3–18.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 9.5–13.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.5–10.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.6% | 24.8–35.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 39.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 14.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.9% | 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 | 1.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 34.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 32.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 42.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $72,269 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $287,800 | $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 | 75.6 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 75.6, 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