COUNTY REPORT NC

Caldwell County, North Carolina

Name: Home Safety Data for Caldwell County, North Carolina
Creator: ZipCheckup
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

6 ZIP codes · Avg score 77/100 · Grade B

ZipCheckup grade for Caldwell County: B.

This ZIP has a few items worth a quick check.

Residents of Caldwell County can read the A-B grade as a starting point and then open their own ZIP report, one of 6 on this site.

How Caldwell County Compares

Caldwell County77/100

North Carolina avg78/100

National avg73/100

How Caldwell County Compares

County Grade

77/100

Avg Safety Score

ZIP Codes

Water Systems

Caldwell County scores 1 points below the North Carolina state average (78/100) and 4 points above the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData

County Grade

Avg Safety Score

ZIP Codes

Collettsville

Best ZIP: 28611 (83/100)

Granite Falls

Lowest ZIP: 28630 (71/100)

$175K

Median Home Value

$400

Avg Remediation (0.23% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Caldwell County, North Carolina

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 14.5 (asthma 11%, diabetes 13.2%)

Modeled additional annual cost estimate per homeowner: $692, largest modeled factor: Flood

50% of homes built before 1980 (lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 11% (national: 8.9%)

Diabetes 13.2% (national: 10.5%)

Obesity 33.4% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1986

Median Build Year

50%

Pre-1980 Housing

36/100

Infrastructure Stress Indicator

17%

ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress

Moderate

Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINSA infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $692

Flood $700/yr

Energy Code Gap $338/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

36,058 housing units in Caldwell County

Pre-1940 6%

1940–1959 16%

1960–1979 28%

1980–1999 34%

2000+ 15%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Caldwell County

$175K

Median Home Value

$400

Est. Remediation Cost

0.2%

of Home Value

Remediation as % of home value low burden

Modeled remediation costs in Caldwell County can be compared with the median property value; actual costs vary by property.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Caldwell County residents

Asthma 11% (US avg: 8.9%)

Diabetes 13.2% (US avg: 11%)

Obesity 33.4% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems mapped to Caldwell County ZIP codes

8 community water systems mapped to Caldwell County ZIP codes; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

City of Lenoir,
Serves ~25,573 people 1 violation

B
Caldwell Company Water System-se
Serves ~15,710 people 2 violations

B
Caldwell County Water--west
Serves ~8,763 people 2 violations

B
Baton Water Corporation
Serves ~7,874 people 1 violation

B
Granite Falls, Town of
Serves ~7,318 people

B
Sawmills, Town of
Serves ~5,524 people 2 violations

B

Show all 8 water systems

Rhodhiss, Town of
Serves ~867 people 2 violations

B
Caldwell County Water--north
Serves ~287 people 3 violations

B

Systems with the most violations in Caldwell County

5 water systems with violations in EPA records.

Caldwell County Water--north
Serves ~287 people 3 violations

B
Caldwell Company Water System-se
Serves ~15,710 people 2 violations

B
Caldwell County Water--west
Serves ~8,763 people 2 violations

B
Sawmills, Town of
Serves ~5,524 people 2 violations

B
Rhodhiss, Town of
Serves ~867 people 2 violations

B

All ZIP Codes in Caldwell County

6 ZIP codes tracked in Caldwell County.

#	ZIP Code	City	Safety Score	Grade	Violations	Home Value
1	28611	Collettsville	83	B	2	—
2	28638	Hudson	81	B	6 (2 health)	$175K
3	28645	Lenoir	74	B	17 (2 health)	$158K
4	28630	Granite Falls	71	B	17 (3 health)	$198K
5	28633	Lenoir	—	—		—
6	28661	Patterson	—	—		—

Recommended Buyer Guides for Caldwell County

When no specific signal shows up in the records, the list falls back to general water testing and filtration guides rather than staying empty.

Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 50% of homes built before 1980
Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Caldwell County, North Carolina

💧

Water Quality

EPA violations, contaminant trends, and enforcement actions across the county

🏠

Home Affordability

Remediation costs vs. home values, equity trap analysis by ZIP

$400 avg remediation

🌊

Flood Risk

NFIP claim history and recorded rated-zone context across the county, plus FEMA property-map guidance

Overview

Caldwell County in North Carolina covers 6 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of B (77/100) across 4 scored records.

4 of 4 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to North Carolina Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Caldwell County?

Caldwell County receives an average Home Safety grade of B from its scored ZIP records (6 ZIP codes tracked); this is a composite index, not a tap-water test.

How many water systems serve Caldwell County?

We map 8 public water systems to 6 ZIP codes in our data for Caldwell County. EPA may list more systems serving the county, so this is not a full count.

What is the biggest environmental risk in Caldwell County?

In ZipCheckup's cost model, the factor with the largest estimated average annual cost in Caldwell County is flood. Across all modeled risk factors, the estimated average additional annual cost is $692 per homeowner; actual costs vary by home.

How old are homes in Caldwell County?

The median home build year in Caldwell County is 1986. 50% of homes were built before 1980; homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, and older homes may have older plumbing materials.

How does Caldwell County compare to North Carolina?

Caldwell County has an average Home Safety Score of 77/100 under model 4.0.0, which is below the North Carolina state average of 78/100.

Explore More

Flood Risk Rankings 2026 Lead Risk Rankings 2026 Water Safety Rankings 2026 Home Safety Rankings 2026 Water Filter Matcher Find the right filter for your water Home Safety Score Full safety breakdown by ZIP

North Carolina State Overview →