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ZIP code

28774

in Sapphire, North CarolinaPopulation 1,451

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

65.09/ 100

Ranked #1,973 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 6.2%)

Ranked #41 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 5.2%)

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.

Arsenic in groundwater

0.83%

in the bottom 0.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Housing insecurity

5.0%

in the bottom 0.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Utility shut-off threat

3.2%

in the bottom 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Tree cover

90.7%

in the top 1.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Median household income

$154,635

in the top 3.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

3.9%

in the bottom 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

26%

in the bottom 0.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

77.6%

in the top 0.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

6.5%

in the bottom 2.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Loneliness

26.9%

in the bottom 2.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

The read

Sapphire, North Carolina (ZIP 28774), by its overall standing, sits in the top 6.2% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,973rd) and the top 5.2% of North Carolina (41st).

continue reading

Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 0.4% nationally, housing insecurity stands in the bottom 0.7% nationally, and utility shutoff lands in the bottom 0.9% nationally. Modeled tree cover is in the top 1.2% nationally, household income resides in the top 3.4% nationally, and modeled transportation rests in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Modeled short sleep lies in the bottom 0.8% nationally, and colon screening sits in the top 0.8% nationally. Modeled food insecurity settles in the bottom 2.4% nationally, and loneliness registers in the bottom 2.8% nationally.

Defined in plain terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 28717, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 96%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 96%

14%

Preventive Care

in the top 0.8%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the top 0.8%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 92%

8%

Disability

healthier than 72%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 86%

5%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 44%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 30%

21%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 95%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 87%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 99%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the top 0.3%

11%

Mental Health

in the top 0.7%

8%

Disability

healthier than 85%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 97%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 42%

21%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 31%

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 95.5 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 30.3 — 65 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #1,384 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.

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 adults37.1%33.6–40.9
High blood pressure among adults43.7%39.8–47.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults14.7%13.4–16.1
Current asthma among adults9.6%8.6–10.8
Coronary heart disease among adults8.8%7.8–10.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.7%6.2–9.5
Depression among adults21.6%18.8–24.5
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.0%11.2–14.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened45.2%41.4–49.3
Obesity among adults30.5%25.2–36.7
Stroke among adults4.1%3.5–4.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years7.0%5.9–8.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.7%5.3–8.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure84.6%82.2–86.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults85.8%83.7–87.9
Cholesterol screening among adults93.8%92.8–94.7
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years77.6%74.4–80.6
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults75.0%72.7–77.2
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years79.5%74.2–84.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults11.5%9.8–13.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults9.3%7.4–11.5
No leisure-time physical activity among adults20.0%16.2–24.3
Short sleep duration among adults26.0%22.0–30.3
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults15.3%12.8–18.3
Frequent mental distress among adults11.4%10.1–13.0
Frequent physical distress among adults12.2%10.5–14.0
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults10.0%8.5–11.6
Any disability among adults30.4%26.4–34.9
Hearing disability among adults10.0%8.8–11.4
Independent living disability among adults6.1%5.1–7.2
Mobility disability among adults14.7%12.2–17.5
Self-care disability among adults3.1%2.6–3.7
Vision disability among adults3.9%3.3–4.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults16.7%14.2–19.4
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults6.5%5.0–8.2
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults4.6%3.4–6.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults5.0%4.1–6.0
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults3.9%3.3–4.6
Loneliness among adults26.9%23.1–30.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults3.2%2.7–3.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate3.2%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–6410.8%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)3.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)68.3%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription99.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)22.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate88.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population3.9%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households72.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+41.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age63.2 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$154,635$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$797,900$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.2 yr ± 1.8878.9 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 1.88 years of 80.2, 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