ZIP code
29201
in Columbia, South CarolinaPopulation 24,605
43.35/ 100
Ranked #24,063 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #278 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (bottom 33%)
Ranked #38 of 47 Columbia, SC ZIPs (bottom 19%)
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.
High cholesterol
24.7%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Transit access
13 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Cognitive disability
23.2%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
48.1%
in the top 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
23.6%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
52.3%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
25%
in the bottom 2.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Physician access
3.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›Coronary heart disease
3.6%
in the bottom 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.24 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics 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 ›The read
By the composite health measure, ZIP 29201, one of several in Columbia, South Carolina ranks in the bottom 25% nationally (24,063rd) and the bottom 33% of South Carolina (278th).
Several measures weigh most on this area's profile, and they come first: modeled cognitive disability resides in the top 2.2% nationally, and poverty registers in the top 1.8% nationally. Housing-cost burden rests in the top 2.4% nationally, and homeownership stands in the bottom 2.5% nationally. On the better side, modeled high cholesterol lies in the bottom 1.3% nationally, transit lands in the top 0.8% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure sits in the bottom 2.2% nationally. Physicians is in the top 2.9% nationally, modeled coronary heart disease settles in the bottom 2.3% nationally, and mental-health providers resides in the top 3.1% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Close by, ZIP 29033, just across the boundary, ranks 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 Columbia, SC 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 97%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 97%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 91%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Disability
healthier than 56%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 22%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 1%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 16%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 93%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.00%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 28%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 2.1 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 96.8 (top 10%) — 95 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #18,108 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
29033
South Carolinashares a border
Score 49.94
Closest healthier
29169
South Carolinashares a border
Score 52.67
Similar health profile
70803
Louisiana98% similar profile
Score 43.26
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 | 14.8% | 13.4–16.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 23.6% | 21.4–25.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–3.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.1 |
| Depression among adults | 31.1% | 27.9–34.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 7.4% | 6.7–8.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 24.7% | 22.5–27.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.8% | 26.9–35.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.1% | 2.0–2.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.6% | 15.7–21.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.1% | 11.0–15.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 57.0% | 54.8–59.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.7% | 70.2–77.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 69.4% | 65.9–72.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.2% | 66.3–73.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.1% | 51.8–58.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.6% | 70.7–81.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.1% | 17.3–23.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.8% | 10.0–13.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.0% | 19.0–25.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.4% | 35.3–43.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.9% | 18.4–23.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 24.1% | 21.4–26.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.7% | 11.2–14.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 23.2% | 20.3–25.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.7% | 31.9–39.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.5–14.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–8.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.3% | 20.2–26.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 25.7% | 21.5–29.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.4% | 16.0–23.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.1% | 14.5–19.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 16.4% | 14.0–18.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 39.7% | 35.5–43.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.1% | 11.2–15.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 48.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 52.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 14.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 52.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 25.0% | 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 | 7.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 47.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 6.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 22.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $32,297 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $255,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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