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ZIP code

68018

in Colon, NebraskaPopulation 508

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

58.51/ 100

Ranked #5,986 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)

Ranked #91 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (top 16%)

Ranked #50 of 113 Omaha, NE-IA ZIPs (top 44%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Radon

4.4 pCi/L

in the top 1.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST82nd
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Civic-institution access

1.9 per 1,000 residents

in the top 1.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›

Loneliness

26.3%

in the bottom 1.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

20.9%

in the top 3.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST87th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

28%

in the bottom 3.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST10th
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Housing insecurity

7.0%

in the bottom 7.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST15th
US7th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

5.0%

in the bottom 7.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST12th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Cognitive disability

10.2%

in the bottom 5.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

94.2%

in the top 9.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US90th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

33.5%

in the top 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US80th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

The read

By the composite health measure, Colon, Nebraska (ZIP 68018) ranks in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (5,986th) and the top 16% of Nebraska (91st).

continue reading

The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: civic stands in the top 1.3% nationally, and modeled loneliness lies in the bottom 1.5% nationally. Modeled short sleep lands in the bottom 3.1% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled housing insecurity is in the bottom 7.4% nationally, transportation settles in the bottom 7.6% nationally, and cognitive disability resides in the bottom 5.9% nationally. Homeownership registers in the top 9.8% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon rests in the top 1.0% nationally, and binge drinking stands in the top 3.5% nationally.

Read against the ZIPs closest to it, civic runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Close by, ZIP 68015, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.

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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Omaha, NE-IA metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 68%

21%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 63%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 99%

8%

Disability

healthier than 81%

7%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 57%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 59%

13%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 22%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 33%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 34%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 67%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 69%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 98%

8%

Disability

healthier than 76%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 74%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 59%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 51%

16%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 36%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 33%

5%

Lifting this score

Risk Behavior

healthier than 63%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 98%

8%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 40%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 55%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 46%

13%

Disability

healthier than 53%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 47%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 33%

16%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 37%

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults27.6%24.4–30.8
High blood pressure among adults37.3%33.3–41.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.1%9.1–11.1
Current asthma among adults8.5%7.5–9.6
Coronary heart disease among adults7.1%6.3–8.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.4%5.4–7.3
Depression among adults15.4%12.9–18.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.3%9.7–12.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.1%32.1–40.1
Obesity among adults39.8%33.4–46.4
Stroke among adults3.4%3.0–3.8
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years8.5%6.8–10.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.4%5.9–9.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.9%77.0–82.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.7%73.1–79.9
Cholesterol screening among adults86.7%84.9–88.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.9%61.0–70.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults68.3%64.8–71.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.3%67.8–82.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults20.9%17.7–24.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults13.1%10.9–15.5
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.9%19.8–28.0
Short sleep duration among adults28.0%22.8–34.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults14.5%12.2–16.8
Frequent mental distress among adults12.1%10.5–13.7
Frequent physical distress among adults11.4%9.9–13.0
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults10.2%8.8–11.7
Any disability among adults26.0%22.3–29.7
Hearing disability among adults8.6%7.6–9.6
Independent living disability among adults6.1%5.3–6.9
Mobility disability among adults11.8%10.1–13.6
Self-care disability among adults3.1%2.7–3.5
Vision disability among adults3.8%3.3–4.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.2%16.4–22.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.8%7.2–10.8
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults5.9%4.7–7.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.0%5.9–8.4
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.0%4.3–5.8
Loneliness among adults26.3%22.2–31.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults4.9%4.1–5.7
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NE median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate3.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578
Uninsured 18–643.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579
No HS diploma (25+)5.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578
Bachelor's or higher (25+)42.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50524.4% (12.1–39.7%) n=578
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2741.4% (0.0–5.8%) n=579
Households without a vehicle2.9%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578
Broadband subscription92.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)33.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578
Homeownership rate94.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32280.5% (61.0–93.2%) n=578
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=578
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579
Single-parent households64.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08757.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577
Population 65+19.5%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55321.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579
Median age38.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577
Median household income$94,141$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556
Median home value$302,200$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$168,400 ($90,000–$306,740) n=533
Median gross rent$1,094$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$850 ($610–$1,250) n=442
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NE median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth82.7 yr ± 2.0378.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.1 yr (77.4–83.0) n=553

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 2.03 years of 82.7, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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