Oxford, NC: 2 Violations - Home Safety 83/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Oxford: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Residents of Oxford generally live with tap water that beats the NC safety average on key EPA compliance metrics.
How Oxford Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Oxford Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 2 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 62% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 14.01 - above typical levels.
Oxford's Water Providers
Federal records list 1 water system serving Oxford, NC. One provider accounts for the large majority of residential water connections in the area, concentrating infrastructure and compliance accountability.
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Oxford, North Carolina, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 23,658 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Oxford: 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
Oxford water systems draw from: 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 3 (Low Risk)
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27565 | B | 2 | 0 | City of Oxford, |
All ZIP Codes in Oxford
- 27565 [B] - 2 violations
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.
Oxford Community Health Snapshot
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
What's in Oxford's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Oxford Infrastructure Age
With 62% 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
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Oxford - it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1971 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Oxford were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Oxford
Across Oxford, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small - a favorable ratio for most property owners.
Remediation costs in Oxford are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,200–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 18% below the North Carolina average.
Oxford: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
Older interior plumbing shapes the local picture: 62% of Oxford homes predate the federal solder ban, and aggregate sampling either approaches or crosses the action benchmark. That mix makes a single-home draw a standard pre-purchase or pre-occupancy step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Oxford: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Oxford contains 12 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $20,735. 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>$1,800</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 Oxford, NC