ZIP code
30546
in Hiawassee, GeorgiaPopulation 8,096
51.44/ 100
Ranked #14,206 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 44%)
Ranked #230 of 711 Georgia ZIPs (top 32%)
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
0.88%
in the bottom 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Park land
59.7%
in the top 1.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
47%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
84.2%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
11.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
12.0%
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
48.2%
in the top 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
11.6%
in the bottom 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
9.1%
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
5.4%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›The read
Hiawassee, Georgia (ZIP 30546), by its composite score, sits in the top 44% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,206th) and the top 32% of Georgia (230th).
The measures land in both directions, and neither dominates: modeled arsenic resides in the bottom 0.8% nationally, and park land is in the top 1.7% nationally. Modeled tree cover lands in the top 3.4% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking registers in the bottom 4.9% nationally, and pfas settles in the bottom 7.0% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled high cholesterol sits in the top 1.5% nationally, coronary heart disease lies in the top 3.6% nationally, and hearing disability rests in the top 4.5% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure resides in the top 5.7% nationally.
Next to the surrounding area, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. 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. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 28904, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 84%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 8%
21%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 30%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 84%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 97%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 92%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 89%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the top 1.0%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
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 93.6 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 8.0 (bottom 10%) — 86 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #257 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
28904
North Carolinashares a border
Score 52.68
Closest healthier
30512
Georgiashares a border
Score 52.63
Similar health profile
22976
Virginia98% similar profile
Score 51.66
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 | 38.5% | 34.6–42.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 48.2% | 43.6–52.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 14.2% | 12.9–15.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 11.2% | 10.0–12.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.3 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 17.0–23.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.3% | 15.0–19.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 47.0% | 42.2–51.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.8% | 25.1–40.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–6.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.6% | 14.6–20.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.1% | 8.3–12.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 85.9% | 83.5–88.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.5% | 80.4–86.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.0% | 89.7–92.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.3% | 66.2–75.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.5% | 58.8–66.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.3% | 67.4–82.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.6% | 9.4–14.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.6% | 11.5–16.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.3% | 24.5–34.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.5% | 25.3–38.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.4% | 19.5–25.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.8–16.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.0–19.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.1% | 11.5–14.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.7% | 32.2–41.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 12.0% | 10.7–13.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.4% | 17.7–23.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.5–6.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.9% | 15.9–22.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.4–13.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.7–11.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.9–9.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.5–7.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 26.5–37.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.7–6.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | GA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.6–27.5%) n=709 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 28.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 18.3% (8.4–29.7%) n=713 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.1% (3.9–22.9%) n=720 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.3% (9.1–49.2%) n=720 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.1% (0.6–9.6%) n=714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.4% (0.3–12.3%) n=707 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.5–96.4%) n=707 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.1% (13.6–38.3%) n=707 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 73.7% (48.8–89.0%) n=707 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–5.0%) n=707 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 3.8% (0.0–15.8%) n=720 |
| Single-parent households | 77.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.8% (36.1–66.7%) n=705 |
| Population 65+ | 41.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (10.0–28.3%) n=720 |
| Median age | 61.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.8 yr (33.1–51.4) n=715 |
| Median household income | $59,234 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,254 ($44,032–$106,158) n=677 |
| Median home value | $295,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,200 ($91,000–$413,150) n=666 |
| Median gross rent | $919 | $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 | 77.0 yr ± 0.67 | 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 0.67 years of 77.0, 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