Bryson City, NC Home Safety: Home Safety 83/100
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Bryson City: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Residents of Bryson City generally live with tap water that beats the NC safety average on key EPA compliance metrics.
How Bryson City Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Bryson City Water
- Homes built before 1986: 49% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 15.93 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Bryson City
Throughout Bryson City, NC, water comes from one of 2 primary utilities out of 2 total systems - independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Bryson City, North Carolina, covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 8,441 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Bryson City: B (83/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Bryson City water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28713 | B | Bryson City, Town of | 4,395 |
All ZIP Codes in Bryson City
- 28713 [B]
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Bryson City
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Bryson City
With 49% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
When trying to understand water quality at the household level, the year a home was built often matters more than any city-wide water report. That's because the 1986 federal ban on lead solder in plumbing, and the earlier phase-out of lead pipes before 1970, created sharp discontinuities in residential plumbing risk by construction era. Bryson City's median build year of 1983 puts the city in the transition zone: a substantial share of the housing stock postdates the solder ban, but a comparable fraction predates it - with the oldest homes carrying both the solder risk and the pipe risk simultaneously. Whether any individual household sits on the safer or riskier side of these thresholds is the key question, and it's one the city-wide median alone can't answer.
Most homes in Bryson City were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Bryson City Homeowners
While no remediation project is entirely without cost, the relationship between estimated remediation and property values in Bryson City is notably favorable - the equity share is small enough that the household financial perspective is one of proportionality rather than pressure, and most homeowners can treat it as routine planning rather than a significant financial event.
Remediation costs in Bryson City are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,200–$3,300 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 2% below the North Carolina average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Bryson City
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
49% - that captures the slice of Bryson City housing dating from before the federal ban on solder containing lead. It pairs with aggregate utility readings that either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L, the benchmark set under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Together, the two figures shift one-home reads into a standard household-level confirmation, particularly for families with kids. A certified lead-removal filter is available through retailer-verified channels if a kit returns results that warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Bryson City
Historical NFIP data for Bryson City contains 41 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $31,036. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$2,200</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Bryson City, NC