Wilkes County, NC

ZIP 28697

In ZIP 28697, 5 of the 12 things we check have at least one part graded D or F.

• Drinking water: Blue Ridge Mtn Club meets every EPA legal limit; 9 contaminants are above health goals, led by lead at 38× California’s Public Health Goal.
• Closer to Superfund sites than 0% of U.S. neighborhoods, with no listed site within 10 miles of its center.
• Largest share of modeled toxic air from industry: U.S. Chemical Storage LLC (99%), mostly chromium.
• Fine particles (PM2.5) average 6.8 µg/m³; the WHO guideline is 5 and the EPA annual standard is 9.
• About 47,521 kg of agricultural pesticides are applied in the county each year.

Grades for ZIP 28697

• Superfund sites nearbyA
• Factories and industrial sitesB to C
• Oil and gas wellsA
• Parks and nature nearbyC to D
• Air qualityA to B
• Drinking water qualityC to F
• Pesticide useD to F
• Neighborhood health statusD to F
• Past wildfire impactsA
• Past flood impactsB
• Noise levelsA
• Radiation signalsD

Based on 8 census tracts · compiled September 10, 2026 · how each grade works and its sources

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