Richfield, NC Home Safety: Home Safety 83/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Richfield: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Looking at federal monitoring data for Richfield, NC: the city clears benchmarks set under the Safe Drinking Water Act with room to spare - recorded exceedances are rare, and the systems serving local households have not triggered any pattern of repeat deficiencies in recent cycles.
How Richfield Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Richfield Water: The Quick Version
- Homes built before 1986: 52% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.95 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Richfield
Supply infrastructure in Richfield, NC runs through a single dominant provider - the main entity among 1 tracked system through which rate decisions, infrastructure work, and federal compliance are managed.
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Richfield, North Carolina (population ~2,618), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 4,513 people region-wide. 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 Richfield: 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
Richfield 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)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28137 | B | Pfeiffer-n Stanly Water Assoc | 4,513 |
All ZIP Codes in Richfield
- 28137 [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.
CDC Health Data for Richfield
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
How Old Is Richfield's Housing Stock?
With 52% 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 Richfield - it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1985 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Richfield 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.
Richfield: Remediation Cost in Perspective
What does remediation cost in financial context for Richfield homeowners? Proportionally very little - the equity share here is low, and addressing documented issues is a manageable planning question rather than a material financial burden.
Remediation costs in Richfield 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 6% above the North Carolina average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Richfield
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: 52% of Richfield 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.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Richfield
Historical NFIP data for Richfield contains 1 flood insurance claim. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $3,351. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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 Richfield, NC