ZIP code
68505
in Lincoln, NebraskaPopulation 18,834
59.31/ 100
Ranked #5,346 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 17%)
Ranked #72 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (top 12.8%)
Ranked #27 of 46 Lincoln, NE ZIPs (bottom 41%)
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.
Radon
3.5 pCi/L
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST45thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
21.1%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
99.6%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
30.7%
in the bottom 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Walkability
120 intersections/sq mi
in the top 8.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
0.92 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices located 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 ›Short sleep
29.6%
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST41stUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
29.7%
in the bottom 10.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
55.9%
in the bottom 12.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
10.5%
in the bottom 11.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 68505, one of several in Lincoln, Nebraska ranks in the top 17% healthiest ZIPs nationally (5,346th) and the top 12.8% of Nebraska (72nd).
Several of the strongest readings define how this area looks: fiber broadband lies in the top 3.1% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol is in the bottom 4.2% nationally. Walkability registers in the top 8.0% nationally, and dental providers lies in the top 8.2% nationally. Modeled short sleep is in the bottom 7.9% nationally, and high blood pressure registers in the bottom 10.1% nationally. On the other hand, modeled radon lies in the top 5.1% nationally, modeled binge drinking is in the top 3.1% nationally, and lead in tap water registers in the top 11.9% nationally. Homeownership lies in the bottom 12.7% nationally.
Against its neighbors, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 68520, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Lincoln, NE metro area.
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 88%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 68%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 79%
8%
Disability
healthier than 84%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 90%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 79%
11%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 86%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 28%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 69%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 91%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 42%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
8%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
“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
2 of our published findings list 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.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 82.6 ± 2.6 years. A median household income of $75,980 predicts 79.0 years — 3.6 years above.
Ranked #266 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 10.8; chronic-disease standing 88.1 — 77 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,002 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
68504
Nebraskashares a border
Score 51.78
Closest healthier
68520
Nebraskashares a border
Score 68.17
Similar health profile
68132
Nebraska100% similar profile
Score 62.35
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 | 22.9% | 21.0–24.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.7% | 27.5–31.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–5.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.2 |
| Depression among adults | 21.0% | 18.9–23.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 30.7% | 28.4–32.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.7% | 31.5–37.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.8% | 2.5–3.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.5% | 7.8–11.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.4% | 7.1–9.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.2% | 73.8–78.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.4% | 72.9–77.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.8% | 81.0–84.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.5% | 60.8–68.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.7% | 67.0–72.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.7% | 71.1–81.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.1% | 18.9–23.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.2% | 10.6–13.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.1% | 17.8–22.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.6% | 26.2–33.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 14.5% | 12.9–16.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.8% | 13.4–16.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.0% | 10.7–13.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.8% | 23.3–28.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.7% | 6.0–7.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.1–7.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.8% | 2.6–3.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.7% | 18.1–23.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.9% | 9.3–12.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.7–9.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.6–10.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.6–7.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.8% | 27.5–34.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.4% (12.1–39.7%) n=578 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.4% (0.0–5.8%) n=579 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578 |
| Homeownership rate | 55.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.5% (61.0–93.2%) n=578 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=578 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579 |
| Single-parent households | 47.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577 |
| Population 65+ | 13.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 21.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579 |
| Median age | 30.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577 |
| Median household income | $75,980 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556 |
| Median home value | $232,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $168,400 ($90,000–$306,740) n=533 |
| Median gross rent | $1,157 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $850 ($610–$1,250) n=442 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.6 yr ± 1.34 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.1 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 1.34 years of 82.6, 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