Skip to main content
ZipVitals

ZIP code

57359

in Letcher, South DakotaPopulation 652

53.38/ 100

Ranked #11,518 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 36%)

Ranked #174 of 360 South Dakota ZIPs (top 48%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

What defines this ZIP

Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.

Radon

3.9 pCi/L

in the top 2.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST79th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.

Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.

Full methodology ›

Civic-institution access

1.7 per 1,000 residents

in the top 1.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The number of civic and social organizations inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.

Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.

Full methodology ›

Fiber broadband

99.7%

in the top 2.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST84th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

109.6 mi

in the top 3.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST60th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.

Full methodology ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

5.6%

in the top 6.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST82nd
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.

Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

29.7%

in the bottom 8.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST55th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

10.3%

in the bottom 9.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST23rd
US10th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Dry extreme heat

30.7 days/year

in the top 14.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US85th
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.

Full methodology ›

Median household income

$106,818

in the top 15.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US85th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

The read

By the composite health measure, Letcher, South Dakota (ZIP 57359) ranks in the top 36% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,518th) and the top 48% of South Dakota (174th).

continue reading

A number of measures pull each way for this area: civic is in the top 1.6% nationally, and fiber broadband settles in the top 2.8% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site resides in the top 3.1% nationally, and modeled short sleep registers in the bottom 8.3% nationally. Housing-cost burden rests in the bottom 9.7% nationally. Set against that, modeled radon stands in the top 2.3% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure lies in the top 6.6% nationally, and lithium in drinking water lands in the top 11.5% nationally. Modeled binge drinking sits in the top 11.2% nationally, and fine-particle is in the top 12.9% nationally.

Read against the ZIPs closest to it, civic runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Close by, ZIP 57301, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.

What’s driving this score

Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 65%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 76%

8%

Disability

healthier than 62%

7%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 43%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 54%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 52%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 38%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 37%

14%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 22%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 64%

21%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 66%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 50%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 50%

14%

Disability

healthier than 55%

7%

Holding it back

Preventive Care

healthier than 21%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 24%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 37%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 36%

5%

“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured

Evidence

Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.

Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults26.7%23.8–29.7
High blood pressure among adults34.0%30.4–37.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.3%8.5–10.1
Current asthma among adults10.0%8.9–11.3
Coronary heart disease among adults7.2%6.4–8.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.3%6.2–8.4
Depression among adults20.8%17.8–23.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.7%10.2–13.4
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened35.2%31.4–39.0
Obesity among adults36.9%29.7–44.6
Stroke among adults3.6%3.2–3.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.9%9.8–14.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years9.0%7.3–10.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.3%73.5–79.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults75.4%71.8–78.8
Cholesterol screening among adults84.8%82.7–86.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years64.8%60.3–68.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults67.4%64.2–70.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.9%70.2–82.3
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.0%16.1–22.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults16.7%14.1–19.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults24.4%20.4–28.7
Short sleep duration among adults29.7%24.4–35.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.6%15.1–20.3
Frequent mental distress among adults15.4%13.7–17.3
Frequent physical distress among adults13.0%11.4–14.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.9%12.2–15.8
Any disability among adults30.2%26.1–34.5
Hearing disability among adults8.5%7.6–9.5
Independent living disability among adults7.7%6.7–8.7
Mobility disability among adults13.0%11.1–14.9
Self-care disability among adults3.6%3.2–4.1
Vision disability among adults4.5%4.0–5.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)SD median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.3%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.8% (1.1–33.5%) n=364
Uninsured 18–647.3%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2869.6% (0.0–33.2%) n=365
No HS diploma (25+)3.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5056.0% (0.8–15.3%) n=366
Bachelor's or higher (25+)29.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50524.6% (10.3–40.7%) n=366
Unemployment rate (16+)0.6%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2741.1% (0.0–8.0%) n=365
Households without a vehicle4.3%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3221.9% (0.0–9.6%) n=364
Broadband subscription89.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.9% (73.7–96.3%) n=364
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)10.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32217.5% (5.2–30.6%) n=364
Homeownership rate87.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32279.9% (57.2–94.8%) n=364
Crowded housing (>1 per room)3.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.6% (0.0–10.2%) n=364
Foreign-born population0.9%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.6% (0.0–5.3%) n=367
Single-parent households44.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.7% (32.7–81.4%) n=362
Population 65+14.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.3% (8.4–33.0%) n=367
Median age38.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.5 yr (27.6–56.7) n=365
Median household income$106,818$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$74,865 ($51,211–$102,582) n=336
Median home value$166,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$177,400 ($79,000–$321,400) n=311
Median gross rent$764$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$763 ($544–$1,089) n=243
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)SD median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.7 yr ± 1.1078.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.7 yr (77.4–84.2) n=357

About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 1.10 years of 80.7, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

More ZIPs to explore ▾

How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured