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ZIP code

29485

in Summerville, South CarolinaPopulation 58,507

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

56.17/ 100

Ranked #8,097 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 25%)

Ranked #63 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (top 15%)

Ranked #17 of 45 Charleston-North Charleston, SC ZIPs (top 38%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Expected annual disaster loss

$1

in the top 0.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 1.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US99th
Definition & source ›

This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.

Full methodology ›

Subsidized affordable housing

646 units

in the top 3.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Full methodology ›

Floodplain exposure

36.5%

in the top 7.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST85th
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Humid extreme heat

132.9 days/year

in the top 9.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US91st
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.

Full methodology ›

Radon

0.8 pCi/L

in the bottom 9.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST25th
US9th
Definition & 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 ›

Fatal road crashes

6 per 100,000 residents per year

in the bottom 25% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US25th
Definition & 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 ›

Cross-source signals

Combined exposures in this ZIP

More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.

The read

By the composite measure, ZIP 29485, one of several in Summerville, South Carolina sits in the top 25% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,097th) and the top 15% of South Carolina (63rd).

continue reading

Where the data leans one way, another reading answers it: subsidized affordable housing rests in the top 3.2% nationally, and modeled radon sits in the bottom 9.0% nationally. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Lithium in drinking water lands in the bottom 16% nationally. On the other hand, modeled expected annual loss resides in the top 0.4% nationally, and disaster risk lies in the top 1.5% nationally. Floodplain exposure settles in the top 7.4% nationally, and modeled humid heat stands in the top 9.2% nationally. PFOA in drinking water is in the top 11.4% nationally, and PFOS in drinking water rests in the top 11.8% nationally.

Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. ZIP 29414, 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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 75%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 74%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 72%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 64%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 61%

8%

Disability

healthier than 70%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 76%

5%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 57%

11%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 10%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 87%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 82%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 61%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 72%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 71%

8%

Disability

healthier than 85%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 76%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 55%

14%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 13%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 61%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 64%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 66%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 41%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 50%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 55%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 48%

8%

Disability

healthier than 57%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 50%

5%

Nothing measured is holding this score back.

“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 ›

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults24.9%22.5–27.5
High blood pressure among adults34.1%30.9–37.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.2%7.5–8.9
Current asthma among adults9.6%8.5–10.7
Coronary heart disease among adults5.8%5.3–6.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.5%5.9–7.1
Depression among adults22.4%19.6–25.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.2%10.8–13.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened35.7%32.3–39.2
Obesity among adults34.1%29.1–39.5
Stroke among adults3.3%3.1–3.6
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.4%8.8–12.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.4%9.1–11.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.8%76.2–81.1
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.2%77.3–82.9
Cholesterol screening among adults87.5%86.0–88.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.9%62.7–70.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults67.7%64.8–70.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.4%69.3–80.8
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.5%14.9–20.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults12.7%11.2–14.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.3%20.3–26.5
Short sleep duration among adults36.1%31.5–40.8
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.5%15.7–19.5
Frequent mental distress among adults16.0%14.4–17.8
Frequent physical distress among adults13.0%11.7–14.4
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.2%11.9–14.6
Any disability among adults27.3%24.3–30.5
Hearing disability among adults6.2%5.6–6.8
Independent living disability among adults7.8%7.1–8.6
Mobility disability among adults13.0%11.6–14.5
Self-care disability among adults3.7%3.4–4.0
Vision disability among adults4.7%4.4–5.1
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.1%19.5–25.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.2%12.6–16.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults8.3%7.3–9.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.8%10.5–13.3
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.6%6.9–8.5
Loneliness among adults30.9%27.2–34.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.9%7.0–8.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)SC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate10.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36415.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410
Uninsured 18–6413.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412
No HS diploma (25+)5.6%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50511.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417
Bachelor's or higher (25+)36.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417
Unemployment rate (16+)5.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414
Households without a vehicle3.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410
Broadband subscription94.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32286.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)29.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32223.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410
Homeownership rate74.1%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.8%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410
Foreign-born population6.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419
Single-parent households44.9%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404
Population 65+15.3%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419
Median age38.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415
Median household income$82,987$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384
Median home value$341,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383
Median gross rent$1,574$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$950 ($678–$1,545) n=343
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)SC median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth78.3 yr ± 0.6678.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30876.3 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 0.66 years of 78.3, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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