ZIP code
29435
in Cottageville, South CarolinaPopulation 4,304
37.70/ 100
Ranked #28,191 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 12.1%)
Ranked #372 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (bottom 10.8%)
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.
Fiber broadband
99.8%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Self-care disability
6.8%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
17.9%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST66thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
6.7%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.4%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST69thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
12.3%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
30.9%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Mammography
68.9%
in the bottom 10.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.8 pCi/L
in the bottom 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS7thDefinition & 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, Cottageville, South Carolina (ZIP 29435) sits in the bottom 12.1% nationally (28,191st) and the bottom 10.8% of South Carolina (372nd).
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: fiber broadband lies in the top 2.4% nationally, and modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 3.3% nationally. On the other hand, modeled self-care disability is in the top 6.8% nationally, modeled diabetes lies in the top 8.4% nationally, and crowded housing registers in the top 9.0% nationally. Modeled stroke is in the top 8.9% nationally, and independent living disability lies in the top 9.8% nationally. Floodplain exposure registers in the top 9.6% nationally, and modeled mammography is in the bottom 10.1% nationally. Modeled mobility disability lies in the top 11.0% nationally.
Put plainly, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 29437, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 95%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 23%
8%
Disability
healthier than 10%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 21%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Disability
healthier than 15%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
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 95.3 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 13.1 — 82 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #394 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
29437
South Carolinashares a border
Score 43.99
Closest healthier
29472
South Carolinashares a border
Score 48.31
Similar health profile
32442
Florida99% similar profile
Score 40.71
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 | 34.5% | 31.1–37.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.2% | 40.3–47.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–9.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.3% | 8.5–10.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.1% | 10.8–13.6 |
| Depression among adults | 24.8% | 21.5–28.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.9% | 16.0–20.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.6% | 35.5–43.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.5% | 32.8–46.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.4% | 5.0–5.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.8% | 17.8–24.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.5% | 12.3–16.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.7% | 79.2–83.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.5% | 76.1–82.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.0% | 83.0–86.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.9% | 58.9–68.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.5% | 49.8–57.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 68.9% | 61.0–76.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.2% | 11.7–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.2% | 18.6–24.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 34.2% | 29.8–38.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.7% | 32.0–43.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.1% | 24.9–31.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.9% | 16.9–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.7% | 16.7–20.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.4% | 16.4–20.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.8% | 33.7–42.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.3% | 11.0–13.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.6% | 19.2–24.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.8% | 22.2–29.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 25.2% | 22.0–28.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.7% | 15.4–20.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.1% | 14.9–19.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.4% | 27.8–37.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 12.3% | 10.8–13.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 25.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 19.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 9.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 89.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 44.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 19.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 40.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $58,813 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $168,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $922 | $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 | 72.1 yr ± 0.82 | 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 0.82 years of 72.1, 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