ZIP code
29827
in Fairfax, South CarolinaPopulation 3,396
39.82/ 100
Ranked #26,871 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 16%)
Ranked #346 of 417 South Carolina 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.
Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
20%
in the top 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
44.2%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.9%
in the top 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
48.5%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
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 ›Households without a vehicle
17.5%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.5%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
29.7%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
8.8%
in the bottom 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›The read
By its overall health score, Fairfax, South Carolina (ZIP 29827) lands in the bottom 16% nationally (26,871st) and the bottom 17% of South Carolina (346th).
Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: distance to a Superfund site sits at the national minimum, and modeled diabetes rests in the top 3.8% nationally. Modeled short sleep is in the top 4.2% nationally, and stroke stands in the top 4.7% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure settles in the top 5.2% nationally, modeled self-care disability lies in the top 6.8% nationally, and households without a vehicle resides in the top 5.6% nationally. Modeled energy burden lands in the top 5.0% nationally, and food insecurity registers in the top 6.3% nationally. On the encouraging side, distance to an emergency room sits at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs.
To translate a couple of terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 29081, 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 82%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 72%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 68%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 82%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
“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 82.2; chronic-disease standing 13.7 — 69 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,158 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
29081
South Carolinashares a border
Score 45.40
Closest healthier
29911
South Carolinashares a border
Score 41.00
Similar health profile
31719
Georgia99% similar profile
Score 42.64
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 | 31.4% | 28.2–34.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 48.5% | 44.1–52.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Depression among adults | 18.9% | 16.0–22.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 20.0% | 17.7–22.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.6% | 35.3–44.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 44.6% | 36.6–53.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 24.0% | 20.2–28.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 17.3% | 14.4–20.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.6% | 79.1–83.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.9% | 77.4–83.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.4% | 83.3–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.1% | 59.1–69.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 47.4% | 43.8–51.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.7% | 70.9–83.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.2–16.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.9% | 16.3–21.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 35.9% | 31.0–41.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 44.2% | 37.2–51.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.2% | 25.8–32.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.4–19.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–19.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.3–19.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.5% | 34.9–44.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.8–8.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.0% | 19.4–24.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 32.7% | 28.5–37.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 29.7% | 25.8–33.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.9% | 17.0–23.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.5% | 18.7–24.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.7–15.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 36.5% | 31.4–42.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 14.7% | 12.9–16.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 24.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.5% (6.2–28.7%) n=410 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.1% (5.9–25.5%) n=412 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 26.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (3.4–21.1%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 7.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.1% (9.1–48.9%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (0.2–11.1%) n=414 |
| Households without a vehicle | 17.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–13.6%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 70.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.1% (71.4–95.1%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.3% (12.8–35.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 55.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.3% (54.9–91.8%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.6%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.7% (0.0–9.0%) n=419 |
| Single-parent households | 43.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (37.6–69.9%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 25.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.6% (10.9–31.7%) n=419 |
| Median age | 45.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.4 yr (33.8–54.1) n=415 |
| Median household income | $40,844 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $58,990 ($40,800–$90,964) n=384 |
| Median home value | $66,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($88,260–$384,940) n=383 |
| Median gross rent | $660 | $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 | 72.6 yr ± 0.99 | 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 0.99 years of 72.6, 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