COUNTY REPORT NC

Lincoln County, North Carolina

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

8 ZIP codes · Avg score 58/100 · Grade C

ZipCheckup grade for Lincoln County: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

Somewhere in the middle: that is where the composite score for Lincoln County lands, across 8 tracked ZIP codes.

How Lincoln County Compares

Lincoln County58/100

North Carolina avg78/100

National avg73/100

How Lincoln County Compares

County Grade

58/100

Avg Safety Score

ZIP Codes

Water Systems

Lincoln County scores 20 points below the North Carolina state average (78/100) and 15 points below 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

Vale

Best ZIP: 28168 (66/100)

Lincolnton

Lowest ZIP: 28092 (50/100)

$221K

Median Home Value

$600

Avg Remediation (0.27% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Lincoln 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: 13.3 (asthma 10.6%, diabetes 11.5%)

Modeled additional annual cost estimate per homeowner: $460, largest modeled factor: Energy Code Gap

32% of homes built before 1980 (lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 10.6% (national: 8.9%)

Diabetes 11.5% (national: 10.5%)

Obesity 35% (national: 32.4%)

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

Infrastructure Overview

1986

Median Build Year

32%

Pre-1980 Housing

33/100

Infrastructure Stress Indicator

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: $460

Energy Code Gap $283/yr

Flood $280/yr

Water / Lead $43/yr

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

Housing Age Distribution

43,203 housing units in Lincoln County

Pre-1940 5%

1940–1959 9%

1960–1979 18%

1980–1999 35%

2000+ 32%

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 Lincoln County

$221K

Median Home Value

$600

Est. Remediation Cost

0.3%

of Home Value

Remediation as % of home value low burden

Modeled remediation costs in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County residents

Asthma 10.6% (US avg: 8.9%)

Diabetes 11.5% (US avg: 11%)

Obesity 35% (US avg: 32.4%)

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

Water systems mapped to Lincoln County ZIP codes

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

City of Hickory
Serves ~71,393 people

C
Lincoln County Wtp
Serves ~49,693 people 2 violations

D
City of Newton,
Serves ~18,407 people 40 violations

D
City of Lincolnton,
Serves ~16,309 people

D
City of Cherryville,
Serves ~6,353 people 3 violations
Maiden, Town of
Serves ~5,563 people

D

Show all 8 water systems

Stanley, Town of
Serves ~5,453 people 5 violations
Southeast Catawba County
Serves ~5,080 people

D

12 water systems mapped to Lincoln County ZIP codes in our data; EPA may list more systems serving the county.

Systems with the most violations in Lincoln County

5 water systems with violations in EPA records.

City of Newton,
Serves ~18,407 people 40 violations

D
Stanley, Town of
Serves ~5,453 people 5 violations
City of Cherryville,
Serves ~6,353 people 3 violations
Walker Heights S/d
Serves ~239 people 3 violations

D
Lincoln County Wtp
Serves ~49,693 people 2 violations

D

All ZIP Codes in Lincoln County

8 ZIP codes tracked in Lincoln County.

#	ZIP Code	City	Safety Score	Grade	Violations	Home Value
1	28168	Vale	66	C	2 (1 health)	$176K
2	28037	Denver	65	C	3 (1 health)	$456K
3	28650	Maiden	52	D	42 (1 health)	$210K
4	28092	Lincolnton	50	D	50 (1 health)	$221K
5	28006	Alexis	—	—	5 (1 health)	$242K
6	28033	Crouse	—	—	5 (2 health)	$205K
7	28080	Iron Station	—	—	2 (1 health)	$231K
8	28093	Lincolnton	—	—		—

Recommended Buyer Guides for Lincoln County

Which guides appear depends on what the county data show.

Water Filters Certified for PFAS Reduction — PFAS detected in 2 ZIP codes
Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Lincoln 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

$600 avg remediation

🌊

Flood Risk

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

Overview

Lincoln County in North Carolina covers 8 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of C (58/100) across 4 scored records.

7 of 7 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 Lincoln County?

Lincoln County receives a grade of C. Some ZIP codes have recorded violations and residents in affected areas may want to test their water.

How many water systems serve Lincoln County?

We map 12 public water systems to 8 ZIP codes in our data for Lincoln County. EPA may list more systems serving the county, so this is not a full count.

What is the biggest environmental risk in Lincoln County?

In ZipCheckup's cost model, the factor with the largest estimated average annual cost in Lincoln County is energy code gap. Across all modeled risk factors, the estimated average additional annual cost is $460 per homeowner; actual costs vary by home.

How old are homes in Lincoln County?

The median home build year in Lincoln County is 1986. 32% 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 Lincoln County compare to North Carolina?

Lincoln County has an average Home Safety Score of 58/100 under model 4.0.0, which is below the North Carolina state average of 78/100.

Explore More

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 →