ZIP code
68621
in Ames, NebraskaPopulation 204
50.31/ 100
Ranked #15,813 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #463 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (bottom 18%)
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.
Home broadband subscription
23.6%
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Radon
4 pCi/L
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST65thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
60.7%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
3.5%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
9.8%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
29.9%
in the bottom 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST48thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
50.3%
in the top 13.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›The read
Ames, Nebraska (ZIP 68621), by its composite score, sits in the top 49% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,813th) and the bottom 18% of Nebraska (463rd).
The data opens on a genuinely even set of readings: unemployment lands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle stands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep registers in the bottom 9.2% nationally, and loneliness settles in the bottom 10.3% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon sits in the top 2.1% nationally, floodplain exposure lies in the top 2.5% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise rests in the top 2.9% nationally. PFAS in drinking water resides at the national maximum, modeled transportation noise is in the top 8.9% nationally, and modeled pfas lands in the top 13.2% nationally.
Next to the surrounding area, home broadband subscription runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 68015, 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
Mental Health
healthier than 94%
8%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Disability
healthier than 49%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 43%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 1%
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.
Nearby
68015
Nebraskashares a border
Score 59.15
Closest healthier
68025
Nebraskashares a border
Score 52.63
Similar health profile
68663
Nebraska98% similar profile
Score 49.75
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 | 31.4% | 28.4–34.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.5% | 34.0–41.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.4% | 9.4–11.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–10.0 |
| Depression among adults | 17.3% | 14.9–20.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.3–14.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.6% | 32.9–40.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.3% | 34.9–45.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.2% | 9.1–13.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.6% | 7.8–11.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.5% | 79.0–83.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.7% | 74.5–80.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.0% | 83.1–86.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.7% | 62.7–72.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.6% | 61.3–67.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.9% | 65.4–79.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.3% | 15.6–21.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.3% | 13.8–19.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.9% | 24.9–33.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.9% | 25.0–35.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.9% | 16.3–21.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.7% | 12.1–15.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.1% | 12.4–15.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.7% | 11.1–14.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.4% | 26.7–34.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.8% | 13.6–18.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.6–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.8% | 16.8–23.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.3–15.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 7.9–11.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.4–10.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.7–7.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.5% | 24.3–33.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.5–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 32.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 0.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.4% (12.1–39.7%) n=578 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.4% (0.0–5.8%) n=579 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578 |
| Broadband subscription | 23.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578 |
| Homeownership rate | 85.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.5% (61.0–93.2%) n=578 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=578 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579 |
| Single-parent households | 100.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577 |
| Population 65+ | 28.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 21.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579 |
| Median age | 57.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577 |
| Median household income | $93,235 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556 |
| Median home value | — | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 77.6 yr ± 0.93 | 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 0.93 years of 77.6, 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