ZIP code
66538
in Seneca, KansasPopulation 3,602
51.87/ 100
Ranked #13,621 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #210 of 682 Kansas ZIPs (top 31%)
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.
Pharmacy access
0.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located 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 ›Radon
3.6 pCi/L
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
32.1 mi
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.6 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Dental provider access
0.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices located 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
54.6 mi
in the top 10.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Seneca, Kansas (ZIP 66538), by its composite score, sits in the top 42% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,621st) and the top 31% of Kansas (210th).
The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: pharmacy registers in the top 1.4% nationally, and grocery settles in the top 3.7% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the bottom 4.7% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lies at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Childcare rests in the top 7.2% nationally, dental providers resides in the top 8.6% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site is in the top 10.4% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Pulling the other way, modeled radon stands in the top 4.0% nationally, and distance to a community health center registers in the top 3.6% nationally.
For anyone unfamiliar, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 66404, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 82%
8%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Disability
healthier than 53%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 76%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 60%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
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
66404
Kansasshares a border
Score 52.51
Closest healthier
66408
Kansasshares a border
Score 52.89
Similar health profile
66968
Kansas98% similar profile
Score 52.43
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 | 30.7% | 27.2–34.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.5% | 34.3–42.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.6–11.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.9% | 6.6–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 19.9% | 16.9–23.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.8% | 10.1–13.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.6% | 35.2–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.4% | 30.9–47.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.1% | 11.5–16.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.0% | 6.4–9.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.5% | 78.9–83.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.2% | 74.6–81.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.5% | 84.5–88.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.2% | 60.0–70.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.2% | 58.4–65.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.7% | 65.8–80.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.8% | 13.0–18.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.3% | 11.8–17.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.9% | 22.2–32.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.4% | 26.5–38.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.2% | 15.4–21.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.2–17.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.2% | 11.5–15.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.7% | 11.8–15.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.0% | 28.5–38.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.9% | 6.7–9.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.5% | 13.0–18.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.0–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 3.9–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.1% | 16.9–23.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.2–12.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 4.6–7.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.0–10.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 4.9–6.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.6% | 24.8–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.4–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | KS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.8% (2.7–20.7%) n=688 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 10.6% (2.3–24.2%) n=686 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.7% (1.1–14.8%) n=689 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 32.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.0% (11.3–43.6%) n=689 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–7.1%) n=689 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=688 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.4% (75.3–96.9%) n=688 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 19.5% (7.8–31.9%) n=688 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.7% (59.7–94.6%) n=688 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=688 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–9.9%) n=692 |
| Single-parent households | 66.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.7% (41.7–78.0%) n=684 |
| Population 65+ | 21.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.6% (11.9–35.1%) n=692 |
| Median age | 41.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.9 yr (32.2–56.9) n=689 |
| Median household income | $78,981 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $67,738 ($49,860–$97,877) n=659 |
| Median home value | $299,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $135,800 ($68,740–$290,700) n=627 |
| Median gross rent | $808 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $820 ($592–$1,257) n=519 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | KS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.6 yr ± 0.99 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.9 yr (76.2–81.8) n=687 |
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 0.99 years of 81.6, 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