ZIP code
29053
in Gaston, South CarolinaPopulation 21,076
40.33/ 100
Ranked #26,528 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #339 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (bottom 19%)
Ranked #45 of 47 Columbia, SC ZIPs (bottom 4.3%)
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.
Mammography
67.2%
in the bottom 5.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.5 mi
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.21 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
56%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
16.3%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
61.8%
in the bottom 22% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS22ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›The read
Gaston, South Carolina (ZIP 29053), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 17% nationally (26,528th) and the bottom 19% of South Carolina (339th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: grocery lands in the top 6.8% nationally, and modeled arsenic is in the bottom 10.5% nationally. Set against that, modeled mammography resides in the bottom 5.9% nationally, distance to a Superfund site rests in the bottom 5.6% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden lies in the top 6.5% nationally. Modeled pfas sits in the top 9.9% nationally, and food insecurity settles in the top 10.5% nationally. Modeled uninsured registers in the top 8.6% nationally, and housing insecurity stands in the top 11.4% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff lands in the top 12.0% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. 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. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 29073, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Columbia, SC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 32%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 56%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 41%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 7%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 33%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 75.1 ± 1.9 years. A median household income of $56,703 predicts 77.8 years — 2.7 years below.
Ranked #3,757 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
29073
South Carolinashares a border
Score 50.43
Closest healthier
29123
South Carolinashares a border
Score 44.17
Similar health profile
74464
Oklahoma99% similar profile
Score 39.22
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 | 29.4% | 26.8–32.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.3% | 37.2–43.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.4% | 6.7–8.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.1–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–8.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.7 |
| Depression among adults | 26.4% | 23.4–29.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.3% | 13.7–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.9% | 34.7–41.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.8% | 37.0–46.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 4.1–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.2% | 18.1–24.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.3% | 14.4–18.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.1% | 75.5–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.4% | 77.5–82.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.7% | 81.8–85.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 61.8% | 57.9–66.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.1% | 48.2–54.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 67.2% | 60.8–73.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.6% | 12.4–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.2% | 17.1–21.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.8% | 30.2–37.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.3% | 35.2–43.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.6% | 24.1–29.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.7% | 17.7–21.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.2–18.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.3% | 16.5–20.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.1% | 32.7–39.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.5% | 10.4–12.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.5% | 16.7–20.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.4–6.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.5% | 7.0–8.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.2% | 22.4–28.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 25.5% | 23.0–28.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–19.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.5% | 16.5–20.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.9–13.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.1% | 28.7–35.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 12.7% | 11.3–14.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 24.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 17.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 42.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 10.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 35.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $56,703 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $126,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $1,000 | $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 | 75.1 yr ± 0.96 | 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 0.96 years of 75.1, 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