ZIP code
67579
in Sterling, KansasPopulation 3,102
51.39/ 100
Ranked #14,302 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #240 of 682 Kansas ZIPs (top 35%)
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
31.8%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.34 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.34 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST82ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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
3.1 pCi/L
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST71stUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Dry extreme heat
50.9 days/year
in the top 9.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
27.7%
in the top 11.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.0%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
31.3%
in the bottom 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS16thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
35.3%
in the bottom 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS22ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›The read
Sterling, Kansas (ZIP 67579), by its overall standing, sits in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,302nd) and the top 35% of Kansas (240th).
The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: grocery registers in the top 3.1% nationally, elder services stands in the top 3.9% nationally, and pharmacy lands in the top 11.2% nationally. By contrast, modeled nitrate is in the top 1.5% nationally, radon resides in the top 8.9% nationally, and extreme heat rests in the top 9.1% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure lies in the top 11.0% nationally, and floodplain exposure sits in the top 11.3% nationally. Modeled fine-particle settles in the top 11.7% nationally, and energy burden registers in the top 9.7% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. 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 67502, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 69%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 14%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 79%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 14.0; chronic-disease standing 69.4 — 55 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #14,938 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
67457
Kansasshares a border
Score 50.95
Closest healthier
67502
Kansasshares a border
Score 53.44
Similar health profile
95219
California99% similar profile
Score 55.48
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 | 26.2% | 23.4–29.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.2% | 29.5–36.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.1–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.7–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.1–8.1 |
| Depression among adults | 21.4% | 18.3–24.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.6% | 9.2–12.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.3% | 31.6–39.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.3% | 31.1–46.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.1% | 10.9–15.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.3% | 6.6–10.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 75.4–80.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.8% | 73.2–80.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.0% | 79.3–84.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.9% | 61.3–70.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.8% | 62.4–68.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.2% | 66.0–79.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.8% | 14.0–19.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.8% | 11.5–16.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.3% | 21.8–30.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.3% | 25.9–37.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.3% | 14.7–20.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.0% | 14.9–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.5% | 10.9–14.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.4% | 13.2–17.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.3% | 27.8–36.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.8–8.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 6.9–9.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.6–15.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 2.9–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.8–4.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.4% | 17.2–23.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.4–14.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.2–8.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.0–11.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 26.8–36.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.2–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | KS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.8% (2.7–20.7%) n=688 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 10.6% (2.3–24.2%) n=686 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.7% (1.1–14.8%) n=689 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 37.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.0% (11.3–43.6%) n=689 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–7.1%) n=689 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=688 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.9% | 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 | 80.6% | 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 | 2.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–9.9%) n=692 |
| Single-parent households | 44.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.7% (41.7–78.0%) n=684 |
| Population 65+ | 17.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.6% (11.9–35.1%) n=692 |
| Median age | 33.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.9 yr (32.2–56.9) n=689 |
| Median household income | $65,294 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $67,738 ($49,860–$97,877) n=659 |
| Median home value | $158,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $135,800 ($68,740–$290,700) n=627 |
| Median gross rent | $693 | $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 | 77.1 yr ± 0.91 | 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 0.91 years of 77.1, 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