ZIP code
57538
in Herrick, South DakotaPopulation 236
48.44/ 100
Ranked #18,376 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 43%)
Ranked #286 of 360 South Dakota ZIPs (bottom 21%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
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.
Nitrate in drinking water
21.3%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
38.1 mi
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
108.7 mi
in the top 3.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST59thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
1.3 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST34thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
98.5%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST61stUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
1.7%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
1.5%
in the top 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
8.6%
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST19thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.1%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST72ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.17%
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS10thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Herrick, South Dakota (ZIP 57538) stands in the bottom 43% nationally (18,376th) and the bottom 21% of South Dakota (286th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Several readings make the pressure on this area plain: modeled nitrate sits in the top 2.1% nationally, and distance to a community health center resides in the top 2.4% nationally. Walkability stands in the bottom 4.0% nationally, and slow internet speeds sits in the top 7.8% nationally. Modeled fine-particle resides in the top 8.6% nationally. On the encouraging side, distance to a Superfund site stands in the top 3.2% nationally, fiber broadband sits in the top 5.8% nationally, and poverty resides in the bottom 6.3% nationally. Unemployment stands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden sits in the bottom 7.9% nationally.
For clarity, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. ZIP 57523, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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.
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 85%
8%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 60%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 1%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 26%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
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.
Nearby
57317
South Dakotashares a border
Score 46.36
Closest healthier
57523
South Dakotashares a border
Score 51.09
Similar health profile
58564
North Dakota97% similar profile
Score 47.63
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
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 32.1% | 28.1–36.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.3% | 35.4–45.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.3% | 10.2–12.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.0–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.2% | 7.6–10.9 |
| Depression among adults | 19.8% | 16.3–23.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.0% | 12.8–17.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.3% | 34.3–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.5% | 29.9–47.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.1% | 14.8–21.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.6% | 6.6–11.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.7% | 76.2–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.9% | 75.2–82.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.3% | 86.4–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.5% | 62.2–72.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.7% | 60.8–68.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.7% | 64.0–80.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.6% | 13.6–20.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.4% | 14.8–22.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.2% | 21.9–32.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.7% | 25.1–38.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.8% | 17.3–24.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.4–16.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.1% | 12.9–17.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.4–15.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.6% | 28.4–38.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.4–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.1% | 14.2–20.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.0–5.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 4.8–6.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 1.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.8% (1.1–33.5%) n=364 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.6% (0.0–33.2%) n=365 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.0% (0.8–15.3%) n=366 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.6% (10.3–40.7%) n=366 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.1% (0.0–8.0%) n=365 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.9% (0.0–9.6%) n=364 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (73.7–96.3%) n=364 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 8.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 17.5% (5.2–30.6%) n=364 |
| Homeownership rate | 92.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.9% (57.2–94.8%) n=364 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.6% (0.0–10.2%) n=364 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.6% (0.0–5.3%) n=367 |
| Single-parent households | 63.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.7% (32.7–81.4%) n=362 |
| Population 65+ | 27.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.3% (8.4–33.0%) n=367 |
| Median age | 49.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.5 yr (27.6–56.7) n=365 |
| Median household income | $46,875 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $74,865 ($51,211–$102,582) n=336 |
| Median home value | $61,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,400 ($79,000–$321,400) n=311 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $763 ($544–$1,089) n=243 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.6 yr ± 1.81 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.7 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 1.81 years of 78.6, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾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