ZIP code
66717
in Buffalo, KansasPopulation 467
43.42/ 100
Ranked #23,990 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #609 of 682 Kansas ZIPs (bottom 10.8%)
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.
Homeownership rate
98.5%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Mammography
68.7%
in the bottom 9.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.5%
in the bottom 13.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms 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 ›Energy-cost burden
4.9%
in the top 10.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS19thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
20.2%
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
5.9 mi
in the top 25% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS75thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
85.7 days/year
in the top 30% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS70thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›The read
Buffalo, Kansas (ZIP 66717), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 25% nationally (23,990th) and the bottom 10.8% of Kansas (609th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: homeownership lands in the top 5.4% nationally, housing-cost burden is in the bottom 10.2% nationally, and modeled arsenic resides in the bottom 13.8% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden rests in the bottom 15% nationally. Set against that, fiber broadband lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled mammography sits in the bottom 9.4% nationally, and extreme heat settles in the top 12.6% nationally. Modeled energy burden registers in the top 10.9% nationally, and fine-particle stands in the top 17% nationally. Modeled obesity lands in the top 16% nationally.
Defined in plain terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 66720, 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.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 22%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 27%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 12%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
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
66710
Kansasshares a border
Score 42.61
Closest healthier
66720
Kansasshares a border
Score 45.86
Similar health profile
75563
Texas99% similar profile
Score 42.37
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 | 33.5% | 29.7–37.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.8% | 36.4–45.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–11.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 8.8–11.9 |
| Depression among adults | 22.7% | 19.2–26.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.1% | 12.2–16.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.0% | 36.5–45.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.4% | 33.1–49.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.2% | 16.7–24.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.9% | 7.3–10.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.4% | 78.6–83.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.2% | 74.7–81.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.3% | 83.4–87.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.0% | 57.1–68.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.2% | 57.1–65.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 68.7% | 58.6–77.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 11.5–16.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.1% | 16.1–22.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.6% | 25.4–36.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.8% | 27.9–42.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.4% | 19.2–25.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.5–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 13.7–18.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.5–18.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.4% | 31.6–41.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.6–11.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.4% | 15.7–21.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 4.9–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.9% | 17.7–24.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.5% | 11.9–17.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 7.6–11.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.7–13.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–9.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.0% | 25.2–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | KS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.8% (2.7–20.7%) n=688 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 10.6% (2.3–24.2%) n=686 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.7% (1.1–14.8%) n=689 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.0% (11.3–43.6%) n=689 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–7.1%) n=689 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=688 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.4% (75.3–96.9%) n=688 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 10.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 19.5% (7.8–31.9%) n=688 |
| Homeownership rate | 98.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.7% (59.7–94.6%) n=688 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=688 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–9.9%) n=692 |
| Single-parent households | 69.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.7% (41.7–78.0%) n=684 |
| Population 65+ | 33.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.6% (11.9–35.1%) n=692 |
| Median age | 54.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.9 yr (32.2–56.9) n=689 |
| Median household income | $70,833 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $67,738 ($49,860–$97,877) n=659 |
| Median home value | $46,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $135,800 ($68,740–$290,700) n=627 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 78.0 yr ± 1.57 | 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 1.57 years of 78.0, 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