ZIP code
29038
in Cope, South CarolinaPopulation 2,362
43.37/ 100
Ranked #24,044 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #275 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (bottom 34%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
59.3 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS98thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
26.6 mi
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Pharmacy access
0.43 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located 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 ›Energy-cost burden
5.0%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$43,563
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST15thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
0.43 per 1,000 residents
in the top 15% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS85thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Transportation noise
0.68%
in the bottom 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS18thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Cope, South Carolina (ZIP 29038) stands in the bottom 25% nationally (24,044th) and the bottom 34% of South Carolina (275th).
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: pharmacy registers in the top 7.0% nationally. On the other side, fatal road crashes lies in the top 2.4% nationally, and distance to an emergency room is in the top 2.6% nationally. Home broadband subscription registers in the bottom 11.0% nationally, modeled energy burden lies in the top 9.4% nationally, and PFOS in drinking water is in the top 13.0% nationally. Modeled diabetes registers in the top 12.8% nationally, modeled humid heat lies in the top 14.5% nationally, and household income is in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure registers in the top 13.9% nationally.
For clarity, PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. ZIP 29432, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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 89%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 32%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 82%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 34%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
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 89.3; chronic-disease standing 21.7 — 68 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,211 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
29003
South Carolinashares a border
Score 39.48
Closest healthier
29432
South Carolinashares a border
Score 46.20
Similar health profile
28530
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 37.58
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 | 34.1% | 30.8–37.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.5% | 40.8–48.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.2–9.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.1% | 8.9–11.4 |
| Depression among adults | 24.0% | 20.8–27.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.6% | 37.8–45.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.3% | 33.8–45.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.7% | 12.1–17.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.0% | 11.0–15.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.5% | 80.0–84.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.0% | 79.0–84.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.9% | 85.2–88.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.8% | 61.0–70.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.3% | 54.8–61.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.5% | 65.6–78.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.0% | 12.4–17.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.7% | 15.4–20.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.2% | 27.2–35.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.3% | 31.4–41.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.0% | 22.1–28.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–19.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–19.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.5% | 14.8–18.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.6% | 32.6–40.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.8% | 17.5–22.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.4–7.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.8% | 22.4–29.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.6% | 18.8–24.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 11.9–16.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 13.1–17.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.2% | 26.2–34.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 76.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 62.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 28.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 47.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $43,563 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $157,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $728 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $950 ($678–$1,545) n=343 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.6 yr ± 0.79 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 76.3 yr (73.2–79.9) n=389 |
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 0.79 years of 76.6, 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