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ZIP code

68460

in Thayer, NebraskaPopulation 601

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

54.49/ 100

Ranked #10,098 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 31%)

Ranked #265 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (top 47%)

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

4.6 pCi/L

in the top 0.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST88th
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 ›

Distance to a community health center

30.5 mi

in the top 3.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST72nd
US96th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

1.0%

in the bottom 5.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Nitrate in drinking water

1.5%

in the top 6.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST75th
US94th
Definition & 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 ›

Homeownership rate

96.6%

in the top 6.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

29.7%

in the bottom 8.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST44th
US8th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 11.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US89th
Definition & 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 ›

Colon-cancer screening

68.7%

in the top 30% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US70th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

The read

By its overall health score, Thayer, Nebraska (ZIP 68460) lands in the top 31% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,098th) and the top 47% of Nebraska (265th).

continue reading

Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: poverty settles in the bottom 5.3% nationally, and homeownership lies in the top 6.8% nationally. Unemployment resides at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep lands in the bottom 8.3% nationally, modeled loneliness registers in the bottom 10.3% nationally, and housing-cost burden sits in the bottom 10.4% nationally. On the other hand, modeled radon rests in the top 0.7% nationally, distance to a community health center is in the top 3.9% nationally, and modeled nitrate stands in the top 6.0% nationally. Modeled transportation noise settles in the top 11.0% nationally.

Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 68313, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 60%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 62%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 97%

8%

Disability

healthier than 66%

7%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 53%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 58%

16%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 18%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 33%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 3%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 69%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 67%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 91%

8%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 52%

16%

Disability

healthier than 48%

7%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 36%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 26%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 34%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 26%

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 adults28.9%25.7–32.1
High blood pressure among adults37.4%33.5–41.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.7%9.7–11.8
Current asthma among adults9.0%7.9–10.1
Coronary heart disease among adults8.1%7.1–9.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.4%6.3–8.6
Depression among adults16.1%13.6–18.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.3%10.5–14.1
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened37.5%33.6–41.4
Obesity among adults40.4%34.3–46.8
Stroke among adults3.8%3.4–4.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.4%9.0–14.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.3%6.8–10.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure81.3%78.6–83.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.3%72.9–79.3
Cholesterol screening among adults86.4%84.7–88.1
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.7%63.1–74.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults67.9%64.1–71.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years74.2%65.6–81.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.5%15.6–21.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults13.9%11.5–16.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults26.6%22.6–30.8
Short sleep duration among adults29.7%23.8–36.3
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults16.6%14.0–19.2
Frequent mental distress among adults12.9%11.3–14.5
Frequent physical distress among adults12.6%11.0–14.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults11.1%9.6–12.7
Any disability among adults29.5%25.6–33.4
Hearing disability among adults9.4%8.3–10.6
Independent living disability among adults7.0%6.0–7.9
Mobility disability among adults14.2%12.1–16.4
Self-care disability among adults3.5%3.0–3.9
Vision disability among adults4.3%3.8–4.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.7%16.6–22.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.1%8.2–12.1
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults6.8%5.4–8.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.5%6.2–8.8
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.4%4.7–6.3
Loneliness among adults28.5%24.1–33.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.0%4.3–5.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NE median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate1.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578
Uninsured 18–641.3%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579
No HS diploma (25+)3.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578
Bachelor's or higher (25+)21.3%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 vehicle3.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578
Broadband subscription88.6%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)10.8%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578
Homeownership rate96.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32280.5% (61.0–93.2%) n=578
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=578
Foreign-born population0.3%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579
Single-parent households78.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08757.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577
Population 65+34.9%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55321.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579
Median age60.0 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577
Median household income$92,610$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556
Median home value$220,900$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 birth80.1 yr ± 1.1578.9 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 1.15 years of 80.1, 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