ZIP code
28806
in Asheville, North CarolinaPopulation 43,433
57.32/ 100
Ranked #6,964 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 22%)
Ranked #151 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #14 of 29 Asheville, NC ZIPs (top 48%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
72.5%
in the top 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
486 units
in the top 4.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS94thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
29.5%
in the bottom 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
31.8%
in the bottom 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Transit access
3.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
0.00055 ppb
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
US10thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
9.6%
in the bottom 13.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Park land
5.9%
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
31.9%
in the bottom 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS18thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 28806, one of several in Asheville, North Carolina, overall, ranks in the top 22% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,964th) and the top 19% of North Carolina (151st).
Reading the numbers as a whole, this area's strong points come through first: subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 4.7% nationally, modeled short sleep is in the bottom 7.5% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol sits in the bottom 6.1% nationally. Transit lands in the top 9.0% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Lead in tap water stands in the bottom 9.9% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Set against that, modeled pfas resides in the top 3.8% nationally, and expected annual loss settles in the top 6.3% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined 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. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. ZIP 28704, just across the boundary, comes out 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. 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 83%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 76%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 91%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 45%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 90%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 76%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 79%
11%
Disability
healthier than 84%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 87%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 44%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 96%
21%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
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 ›
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 76.7 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $63,273 predicts 78.3 years — 1.6 years below.
Ranked #1,999 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 22.5; chronic-disease standing 83.1 — 61 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,480 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
28701
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.06
Closest healthier
28704
North Carolinashares a border
Score 58.12
Similar health profile
27545
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 55.44
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 | 23.4% | 20.8–26.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.9% | 28.4–35.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.5% | 6.8–8.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.4–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–6.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.5–6.9 |
| Depression among adults | 25.9% | 22.5–29.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.6% | 8.3–10.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 31.8% | 28.1–35.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.1% | 26.1–38.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.9% | 2.7–3.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.0% | 9.9–14.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.4% | 9.0–11.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.7% | 69.7–75.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.4% | 72.7–79.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.5–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.2% | 61.7–70.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.4% | 62.2–68.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.3% | 71.7–84.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.0% | 14.1–20.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.2% | 11.5–15.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.1% | 17.0–23.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.5% | 24.8–34.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.7% | 14.8–19.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 15.0–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.9% | 13.4–16.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.5% | 25.9–33.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.0% | 18.0–24.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 9.6–12.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 9.6–12.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.8–8.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.3% | 26.8–36.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 18.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 45.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 34.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 59.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 49.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 14.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 39.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $63,273 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $359,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,239 | $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 | 76.7 yr ± 0.54 | 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 0.54 years of 76.7, 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