ZIP code
57722
in Buffalo Gap, South DakotaPopulation 177
39.42/ 100
Ranked #27,126 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 15%)
Ranked #314 of 360 South Dakota ZIPs (bottom 12.8%)
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.
Energy-cost burden
7.1%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Walkability
0.61 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST13thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
28.6 mi
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
28 mi
in the top 2.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
30.2 mi
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Vision disability
9.3%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
1.1%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Radon
3.2 pCi/L
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST35thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
14.8 per million
in the bottom 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.4%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›The read
Buffalo Gap, South Dakota (ZIP 57722), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 15% nationally (27,126th) and the bottom 12.8% of South Dakota (314th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A few readings account for most of this area's strain: modeled energy burden registers in the top 1.1% nationally, walkability is in the bottom 1.4% nationally, and distance to an emergency room lies in the top 2.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers in the top 4.0% nationally, modeled vision disability is in the top 6.6% nationally, and modeled radon lies in the top 8.0% nationally. Modeled hearing disability registers in the top 7.0% nationally. On the better side, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is in the top 2.4% nationally, and poverty lies in the bottom 5.4% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk registers in the bottom 6.1% nationally.
Defined simply, for reference, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 57730, just across the boundary.
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
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 56%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 7%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 7%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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
57730
South Dakotashares a border
Score 58.32
Closest healthier
57738
South Dakotashares a border
Score 54.14
Similar health profile
57329
South Dakota97% similar profile
Score 41.47
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 | 33.1% | 30.1–35.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.9% | 37.5–44.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.8% | 10.0–11.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.9–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.6% | 8.7–10.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Depression among adults | 21.2% | 18.7–23.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.0% | 15.3–18.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.8% | 35.4–42.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.4% | 32.9–44.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.7% | 16.1–21.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.9% | 9.5–14.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.2% | 76.7–81.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.3% | 75.6–80.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.6% | 82.8–86.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.7% | 60.9–68.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.0% | 59.3–64.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.3% | 65.9–76.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.8% | 12.7–16.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 22.2% | 19.6–25.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.4% | 27.6–35.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.8% | 27.7–36.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.7% | 22.9–28.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.4–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.5–18.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.0% | 35.2–42.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.3–12.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.6% | 11.1–14.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.2% | 18.1–22.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | SD median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 1.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.8% (1.1–33.5%) n=364 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.6% (0.0–33.2%) n=365 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 1.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.0% (0.8–15.3%) n=366 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.6% (10.3–40.7%) n=366 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.1% (0.0–8.0%) n=365 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.9% (0.0–9.6%) n=364 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (73.7–96.3%) n=364 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 9.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 17.5% (5.2–30.6%) n=364 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.7% | 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 | 1.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.6% (0.0–5.3%) n=367 |
| Single-parent households | 66.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.7% (32.7–81.4%) n=362 |
| Population 65+ | 37.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.3% (8.4–33.0%) n=367 |
| Median age | 57.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.5 yr (27.6–56.7) n=365 |
| Median household income | $59,306 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $74,865 ($51,211–$102,582) n=336 |
| Median home value | $69,200 | $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 | 81.3 yr ± 0.91 | 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 0.91 years of 81.3, 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