ZIP code
66746
in Hepler, KansasPopulation 247
46.20/ 100
Ranked #21,101 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)
Ranked #530 of 682 Kansas ZIPs (bottom 22%)
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.
Crowded housing
14.3%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
47.6%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
95.2%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
10.6 mi
in the top 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.4%
in the bottom 10.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›Unemployment rate
9.6%
in the top 10.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
28.7 days/year
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS84thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
13.1%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS17thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Humid extreme heat
88.8 days/year
in the top 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS72ndDefinition & 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
Hepler, Kansas (ZIP 66746), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 34% nationally (21,101st) and the bottom 22% of Kansas (530th).
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: households without a vehicle is at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Homeownership lies in the top 8.3% nationally, and modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 10.2% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation noise lies in the bottom 11.1% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden registers in the bottom 12.8% nationally. On the other hand, crowded housing is in the top 2.4% nationally, and housing-cost burden lies in the top 4.1% nationally. Distance to a nursing home registers in the top 10.0% nationally, and unemployment is in the top 10.6% nationally.
Defined simply, for reference, 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. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 66701, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 99%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Healthcare Access
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
66701
Kansasshares a border
Score 46.51
Closest healthier
66743
Kansasshares a border
Score 46.37
Similar health profile
99720
Alaska96% similar profile
Score 29.85
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 | 30.3% | 27.1–33.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.9% | 35.1–42.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.4–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.2–9.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.6–10.3 |
| Depression among adults | 22.4% | 19.4–25.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.6% | 10.8–14.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.3% | 35.4–43.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.1% | 32.1–44.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.5–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.8% | 12.3–17.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.6% | 7.8–11.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.1% | 77.5–82.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.4% | 74.0–80.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.1% | 82.1–86.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.0% | 58.5–67.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.9% | 55.6–62.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.6% | 64.7–77.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.4% | 12.9–18.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.8% | 14.9–20.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.1% | 24.7–33.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.4% | 30.6–40.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.7% | 17.9–23.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.6–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.2–17.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–18.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.4% | 31.1–39.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.0–10.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.5% | 14.1–18.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.6–6.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.5% | 17.6–23.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 11.7–16.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.3–11.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 10.0–13.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.7–9.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.9% | 29.6–38.4 |
| 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 | 5.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.8% (2.7–20.7%) n=688 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 10.6% (2.3–24.2%) n=686 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 27.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.7% (1.1–14.8%) n=689 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 24.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.0% (11.3–43.6%) n=689 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–7.1%) n=689 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=688 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.4% (75.3–96.9%) n=688 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 47.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 19.5% (7.8–31.9%) n=688 |
| Homeownership rate | 95.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.7% (59.7–94.6%) n=688 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 14.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=688 |
| Foreign-born population | 12.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–9.9%) n=692 |
| Single-parent households | 35.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.7% (41.7–78.0%) n=684 |
| Population 65+ | 5.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.6% (11.9–35.1%) n=692 |
| Median age | 14.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.9 yr (32.2–56.9) n=689 |
| Median household income | $54,375 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $67,738 ($49,860–$97,877) n=659 |
| Median home value | $212,500 | $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 | 78.2 yr ± 1.18 | 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 1.18 years of 78.2, 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