ZIP code
29540
in Darlington, South CarolinaPopulation 4,080
40.11/ 100
Ranked #26,685 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #343 of 417 South Carolina ZIPs (bottom 18%)
Ranked #15 of 18 Florence, SC ZIPs (bottom 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.
Obesity
48.3%
in the top 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
19.9%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
68.2%
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
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 ›High blood pressure
48%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.6%
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
15.2%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
28.7%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
39.2 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Housing insecurity
20.7%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 29540, one of several in Darlington, South Carolina, on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 17% nationally (26,685th) and the bottom 18% of South Carolina (343rd).
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled obesity lands in the top 1.3% nationally. Working the other way, modeled diabetes resides in the top 3.9% nationally, home broadband subscription lies in the bottom 5.3% nationally, and modeled self-care disability settles in the top 6.8% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure stands in the top 6.0% nationally, and stroke is in the top 6.9% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff rests in the top 6.8% nationally, and food insecurity sits in the top 7.2% nationally. Fatal road crashes registers in the top 7.2% nationally, and modeled housing insecurity lands in the top 8.1% nationally.
A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 29532, just across the boundary. Modeled self-care disability lands in the top 6.8% nationally.
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 Florence, SC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 42%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 47%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 22%
11%
Disability
healthier than 14%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 27%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 12%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 24%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
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 79.5; chronic-disease standing 10.8 — 69 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,143 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
29512
South Carolinashares a border
Score 35.89
Closest healthier
29532
South Carolinashares a border
Score 41.74
Similar health profile
72036
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 30.96
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 | 33.2% | 29.9–36.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 48.0% | 43.9–52.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.5% | 6.8–8.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.1 |
| Depression among adults | 21.9% | 18.7–25.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 19.9% | 17.6–22.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.1% | 36.0–44.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 48.3% | 41.5–55.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.6% | 5.2–6.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 22.9% | 19.6–26.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.4% | 11.6–15.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.5% | 80.1–84.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 84.3% | 81.4–86.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.9% | 85.1–88.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.1% | 57.4–66.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 50.5% | 46.9–53.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.3% | 66.2–79.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.3% | 10.8–15.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.7% | 15.4–20.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.4% | 28.1–37.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.4% | 35.8–47.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 27.8% | 24.7–30.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 16.0–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–19.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.1% | 15.2–19.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.1% | 32.8–41.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.7–13.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.5% | 19.1–23.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.2–7.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.8–9.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.8% | 24.4–31.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 28.7% | 25.5–31.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 20.7% | 18.2–23.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.7% | 18.3–23.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 11.6–14.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.0% | 30.6–39.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 15.2% | 13.5–17.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 24.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 19.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 10.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 68.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 56.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 18.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 41.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $53,155 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $95,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $883 | $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 | 73.9 yr ± 0.86 | 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 0.86 years of 73.9, 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