ZIP code
29488
in Walterboro, South CarolinaPopulation 22,538
43.03/ 100
Ranked #24,351 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 24%)
Ranked #286 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (bottom 31%)
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.
Arsenic in groundwater
0.92%
in the bottom 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
99.7%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
13.2%
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
45.3 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 7.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Households without a vehicle
13.4%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
17.5%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST64thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.14 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS89thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Crowded housing
5.6%
in the top 11.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Physician access
1.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS88thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Walterboro, South Carolina (ZIP 29488), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 24% nationally (24,351st) and the bottom 31% of South Carolina (286th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: modeled arsenic lies in the bottom 1.1% nationally, and fiber broadband settles in the top 2.7% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled pfas is in the bottom 10.2% nationally. Working the other way, unemployment rests in the top 5.1% nationally, and fatal road crashes sits in the top 5.2% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 7.7% nationally, and households without a vehicle lands in the top 8.9% nationally. Modeled food insecurity resides in the top 10.2% nationally, and diabetes lies in the top 9.8% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. 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. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 29446, 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 90%
14%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 18%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 84%
14%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 39%
8%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
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
3 of our published findings list 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 72.0 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $49,876 predicts 77.3 years — 5.3 years below.
Ranked #5,614 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 72.0 ± 1.2 years. The 44 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.1 years — 4.1 years below them.
Ranked #3,051 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 90.1 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 18.4 — 72 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #964 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
29446
South Carolinashares a border
Score 46.74
Closest healthier
29471
South Carolinaless than 0.1 mi away
Score 44.09
Similar health profile
36863
Alabama99% similar profile
Score 41.43
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 | 32.9% | 29.6–36.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.4% | 40.5–48.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.8–9.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.8–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.3 |
| Depression among adults | 22.7% | 19.6–25.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.5% | 15.5–19.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.8% | 33.8–41.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.6% | 32.9–46.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.3% | 5.0–5.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.3% | 18.0–25.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.1% | 12.3–15.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.1% | 79.9–84.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.2% | 78.1–83.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 84.2–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.9% | 62.3–71.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.3% | 52.8–59.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.9% | 67.7–81.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.9% | 10.6–15.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.8% | 15.6–20.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.7% | 29.3–38.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.2% | 32.5–44.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.5% | 23.7–29.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.2–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.1–18.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.4–18.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.4% | 32.3–40.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.6–12.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.5% | 18.3–22.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.7–6.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.3–8.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.6% | 23.1–30.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 25.8% | 23.0–29.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.8% | 15.7–20.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.4% | 16.2–20.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.0% | 10.7–13.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.2% | 28.6–38.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 11.5–14.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 23.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 23.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 13.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 13.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 39.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 18.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 38.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $49,876 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $167,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $950 | $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 | 72.0 yr ± 0.60 | 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 0.60 years of 72.0, 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