ZIP code
29212
in Columbia, South CarolinaPopulation 27,657
58.33/ 100
Ranked #6,130 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #51 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (top 12.3%)
Ranked #8 of 47 Columbia, SC ZIPs (top 17%)
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.
PFOA in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
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 ›PFOS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
615 units
in the top 3.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
75.4%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Floodplain exposure
41.2%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Tooth loss
8.5%
in the bottom 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS16thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
11.9%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS17thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
0.64 per 1,000 residents
in the top 20% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS80thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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
In its overall standing, ZIP 29212, one of several in Columbia, South Carolina lands in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,130th) and the top 12.3% of South Carolina (51st).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 3.4% nationally, and modeled colon screening is in the top 2.5% nationally. On the other side, PFOA in drinking water sits at the national maximum, PFOS in drinking water lands at the national maximum, and PFAS in drinking water lies at the national maximum. Floodplain exposure stands in the top 5.9% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss rests in the top 9.9% nationally. Lead in tap water registers in the top 10.8% nationally, and modeled humid heat resides in the top 12.8% nationally. Unemployment settles in the top 12.8% nationally.
Put simply, PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. 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. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. On the overall standing, ZIP 29036, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 70%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 42%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 83%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 90%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 80%
8%
Disability
healthier than 88%
7%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 93%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 89%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 72%
8%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 35%
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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 79.6 ± 1.2 years. The 44 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 77.4 years — 2.2 years above them.
Ranked #1,297 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
29036
South Carolinashares a border
Score 61.77
Closest healthier
29063
South Carolinashares a border
Score 62.05
Similar health profile
23696
Virginia99% similar profile
Score 60.95
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 | 28.5% | 26.4–30.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.5% | 34.8–40.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.5–9.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.2% | 8.4–10.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.5–6.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
| Depression among adults | 22.8% | 20.6–25.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.3% | 11.1–13.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.3% | 35.6–40.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.9% | 30.3–37.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.5% | 7.2–9.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 8.0–10.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.2% | 78.1–82.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.0% | 80.9–84.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.1% | 88.0–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 75.4% | 72.6–78.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.4% | 66.1–70.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.0% | 72.4–81.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.9% | 13.1–16.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.3% | 19.9–24.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.6% | 31.5–38.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.9% | 15.4–18.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.8% | 13.5–16.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.3% | 11.2–13.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.9–13.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.2% | 24.9–29.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.8–7.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.6–7.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.2% | 12.0–14.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.2–4.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.0% | 19.0–23.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 11.5–14.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.7–12.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.2% | 26.5–32.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.5–8.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 46.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 54.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 23.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 44.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $77,142 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $247,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $1,452 | $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 | 79.6 yr ± 0.61 | 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 0.61 years of 79.6, 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