ZIP code
30286
in Thomaston, GeorgiaPopulation 24,726
43.29/ 100
Ranked #24,117 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #468 of 711 Georgia ZIPs (bottom 34%)
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
1.2%
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST34thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
37.8%
in the top 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST59thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
12.5%
in the top 10.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 10.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS10thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
52 µg/L
in the top 14.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›The read
Thomaston, Georgia (ZIP 30286) ranks in the bottom 25% nationally (24,117th) and the bottom 34% of Georgia (468th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: distance to an emergency room rests at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic lands in the bottom 7.0% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden settles in the bottom 10.5% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home lands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. By contrast, modeled loneliness settles in the top 9.5% nationally, households without a vehicle rests in the top 10.2% nationally, and modeled humid heat lands in the top 11.6% nationally. Modeled independent living disability settles in the top 12.5% nationally, and diabetes rests in the top 12.3% nationally.
For context, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 30256, 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 79%
14%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 34%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 30%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Disability
healthier than 28%
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
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 72.6 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $55,087 predicts 77.7 years — 5.1 years below.
Ranked #5,568 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 72.6 ± 1.0 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.3 years — 3.7 years below them.
Ranked #2,855 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 78.8; chronic-disease standing 21.6 — 57 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,939 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
30256
Georgiashares a border
Score 52.70
Closest healthier
30258
Georgiashares a border
Score 51.36
Similar health profile
31023
Georgia98% similar profile
Score 41.62
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 | 30.1% | 26.7–33.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.1% | 38.7–47.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–10.9 |
| Depression among adults | 21.1% | 17.8–24.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.9% | 14.8–19.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.7% | 35.1–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.6% | 31.4–48.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.9% | 17.5–24.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.2% | 12.4–16.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.3% | 77.8–82.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.3% | 75.7–82.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.0% | 84.2–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.1% | 58.9–68.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.2% | 49.4–56.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.4% | 67.7–81.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.2% | 10.6–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.1% | 16.7–21.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.4% | 28.7–38.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.6% | 31.7–45.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.9% | 23.0–28.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.0% | 17.0–21.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.2–19.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.6–19.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.4% | 32.0–40.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.6–13.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.4% | 17.2–21.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.5–6.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.9–8.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.0% | 22.3–29.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 22.4% | 19.8–25.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 20.6% | 18.3–22.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.3% | 15.2–19.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.8% | 32.5–43.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 12.0% | 10.6–13.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | GA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.6–27.5%) n=709 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 18.3% (8.4–29.7%) n=713 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.1% (3.9–22.9%) n=720 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.3% (9.1–49.2%) n=720 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.1% (0.6–9.6%) n=714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.4% (0.3–12.3%) n=707 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.5–96.4%) n=707 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.1% (13.6–38.3%) n=707 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 73.7% (48.8–89.0%) n=707 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–5.0%) n=707 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 3.8% (0.0–15.8%) n=720 |
| Single-parent households | 52.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.8% (36.1–66.7%) n=705 |
| Population 65+ | 18.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (10.0–28.3%) n=720 |
| Median age | 39.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.8 yr (33.1–51.4) n=715 |
| Median household income | $55,087 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,254 ($44,032–$106,158) n=677 |
| Median home value | $168,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,200 ($91,000–$413,150) n=666 |
| Median gross rent | $849 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $993 ($694–$1,769) n=627 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | GA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 72.6 yr ± 0.51 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 76.1 yr (73.3–79.7) n=668 |
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 0.51 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