ZIP code
28789
in Whittier, North CarolinaPopulation 5,788
44.58/ 100
Ranked #22,834 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #591 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 25%)
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
81.6%
in the top 4.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
75.6%
in the bottom 10.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
12.7%
in the bottom 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS16thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS20thDefinition & 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 ›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
In its overall standing, Whittier, North Carolina (ZIP 28789) lands in the bottom 29% nationally (22,834th) and the bottom 25% of North Carolina (591st).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: modeled tree cover stands in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled pfas registers in the bottom 16% nationally, and arsenic resides in the bottom 16% nationally. Households without a vehicle settles in the bottom 18% nationally. Set against that, home broadband subscription is in the bottom 10.6% nationally, and modeled hearing disability sits in the top 15% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss lands in the top 17% nationally, and poverty lies in the top 17% nationally. Physicians stands at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs.
Put simply, 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. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. On the overall standing, ZIP 28713, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 92%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 18%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 82%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 92%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
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
2 of our published findings list 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 75.7 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $51,713 predicts 77.5 years — 1.8 years below.
Ranked #2,250 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 91.5 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 17.8 — 74 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #835 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
28713
North Carolinashares a border
Score 46.77
Closest healthier
28725
North Carolinashares a border
Score 44.88
Similar health profile
24370
Virginia98% similar profile
Score 44.31
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 | 33.5% | 30.3–36.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.6% | 37.9–45.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.9–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.0 |
| Depression among adults | 27.2% | 23.8–30.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.2% | 13.4–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.0% | 36.3–43.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.7% | 32.4–45.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.4–5.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.8% | 17.0–22.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.9% | 9.2–12.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.8% | 76.2–81.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.2% | 77.1–83.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.0% | 85.2–88.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.9% | 60.5–68.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.4% | 54.1–60.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.1% | 68.4–80.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 11.8–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.9% | 16.5–21.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.2% | 24.3–32.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.0% | 28.4–39.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.0% | 21.3–26.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.4% | 16.5–20.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.4% | 14.6–18.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.6% | 15.7–19.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.2% | 35.0–43.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–11.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.4% | 17.2–21.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.8–5.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.4–7.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.3% | 19.3–25.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.1% | 15.9–20.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.7% | 13.6–18.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 11.3–14.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.2% | 28.9–37.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 25.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 17.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 24.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 75.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 54.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 23.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 42.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $51,713 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $221,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $990 | $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 | 75.7 yr ± 0.74 | 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 0.74 years of 75.7, 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