ZIP code
28906
in Murphy, North CarolinaPopulation 20,526
50.52/ 100
Ranked #15,515 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 48%)
Ranked #378 of 793 North Carolina 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.
Tree cover
81.8%
in the top 4.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
11.0%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.4%
in the bottom 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST20thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›Coronary heart disease
10.0%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 11.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS11thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
43.5%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
43.6 mi
in the top 16% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS84thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Radon
2.4 pCi/L
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Murphy, North Carolina (ZIP 28906) sits in the top 48% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,515th) and the top 48% of North Carolina (378th).
The measures that most flatter this area set the tone for the rest: modeled tree cover settles in the top 4.3% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic settles in the bottom 10.0% nationally, and mental-health providers lands in the top 10.8% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden rests in the bottom 11.1% nationally. Distance to a community health center settles at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Against that, modeled disaster risk lands in the top 8.4% nationally, hearing disability rests in the top 9.4% nationally, and coronary heart disease settles in the top 9.7% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 28771, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 87%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 85%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 83%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 77.4; chronic-disease standing 14.6 — 63 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,540 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
28771
North Carolinashares a border
Score 50.93
Closest healthier
28904
North Carolinashares a border
Score 52.68
Similar health profile
48730
Michigan97% similar profile
Score 49.86
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 | 36.9% | 32.9–41.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.5% | 39.7–49.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.2% | 11.0–13.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.6–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.0% | 9.0–11.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.6% | 9.4–11.8 |
| Depression among adults | 25.5% | 21.7–29.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.9% | 12.9–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.5% | 38.6–48.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.5% | 26.4–42.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.7% | 12.8–19.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.5% | 7.3–9.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.5% | 79.5–85.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.1% | 79.8–86.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.3% | 88.9–91.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 65.3–75.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.5% | 59.7–67.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.2% | 69.8–84.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.9% | 10.4–15.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.5% | 13.3–17.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.2% | 21.6–30.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.5% | 24.4–38.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.3% | 18.5–24.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.5–17.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 12.9–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.7% | 32.0–41.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.9% | 16.4–21.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.0% | 16.9–23.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.4% | 10.6–14.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 9.1–12.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.6–10.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 6.1–7.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.7% | 24.7–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.4–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 22.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 25.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 71.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 34.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 56.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $55,759 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $250,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $797 | $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 | 77.3 yr ± 0.69 | 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 0.69 years of 77.3, 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