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ZipVitals

ZIP code

68431

in Rulo, NebraskaPopulation 269

53.05/ 100

Ranked #12,009 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 37%)

Ranked #340 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (bottom 40%)

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.

Fiber broadband

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

Full methodology ›

Radon

3.3 pCi/L

in the top 6.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST41st
US93rd
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 ›

Obesity

45.1%

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

69.9 mi

in the top 6.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Short sleep

29.4%

in the bottom 7.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST36th
US7th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

93.5%

in the top 10.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US89th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

69.3%

in the top 25% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US75th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

The read

Rulo, Nebraska (ZIP 68431), overall, ranks in the top 37% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,009th) and the bottom 40% of Nebraska (340th).

continue reading

Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: fiber broadband rests at the national maximum, distance to a Superfund site registers in the top 6.6% nationally, and modeled short sleep resides in the bottom 7.1% nationally. Homeownership settles in the top 10.9% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon is in the top 6.9% nationally, and obesity sits in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lands in the top 15% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lies at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure stands in the top 16% nationally, and modeled transportation noise rests in the top 18% nationally.

Defined simply, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. ZIP 66035, about 4.7 miles away, comes out 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.

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

Compare within

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 67%

16%

Mental Health

healthier than 93%

8%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 57%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 54%

11%

Disability

healthier than 57%

7%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 40%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 37%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 23%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 25%

5%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 62%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 73%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 63%

13%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 65%

5%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 43%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 41%

8%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 17%

21%

Disability

healthier than 30%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 12%

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 adults30.8%27.7–34.1
High blood pressure among adults40.6%36.8–44.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.3%9.3–11.3
Current asthma among adults9.7%8.6–10.9
Coronary heart disease among adults8.0%7.1–9.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.9%6.7–9.3
Depression among adults17.6%15.0–20.5
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.0%12.1–16.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.7%33.0–40.7
Obesity among adults45.1%39.0–51.6
Stroke among adults4.0%3.6–4.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years12.4%10.0–15.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.3%5.9–9.0
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure81.6%79.0–84.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.8%73.3–80.1
Cholesterol screening among adults86.2%84.2–88.0
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years69.3%64.4–74.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults63.2%59.6–66.7
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years73.3%65.4–80.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.8%15.0–21.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.7%12.9–18.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults29.3%24.5–34.0
Short sleep duration among adults29.4%24.0–35.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.9%15.0–21.1
Frequent mental distress among adults13.7%12.0–15.5
Frequent physical distress among adults13.7%11.8–15.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.1%10.4–13.9
Any disability among adults30.6%26.3–34.8
Hearing disability among adults9.4%8.3–10.6
Independent living disability among adults7.5%6.4–8.7
Mobility disability among adults14.9%12.6–17.5
Self-care disability among adults3.8%3.2–4.3
Vision disability among adults4.8%4.1–5.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.2%18.0–25.1
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.1%9.1–13.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults7.6%6.1–9.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.3%6.9–9.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.3%5.4–7.3
Loneliness among adults29.8%25.2–35.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.7%4.8–6.7
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NE median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578
Uninsured 18–6415.3%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579
No HS diploma (25+)19.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578
Bachelor's or higher (25+)1.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50524.4% (12.1–39.7%) n=578
Unemployment rate (16+)2.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2741.4% (0.0–5.8%) n=579
Households without a vehicle5.1%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578
Broadband subscription87.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)17.4%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578
Homeownership rate93.5%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32280.5% (61.0–93.2%) n=578
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.9%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=578
Foreign-born population0.4%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579
Single-parent households76.9%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08757.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577
Population 65+18.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55321.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579
Median age52.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577
Median household income$75,000$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556
Median home value$137,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$168,400 ($90,000–$306,740) n=533
Median gross rent$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 birth84.5 yr ± 3.0278.9 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 3.02 years of 84.5, 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