ZIP code
68641
in Howells, NebraskaPopulation 939
56.21/ 100
Ranked #8,053 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #173 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (top 31%)
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
4.8 pCi/L
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
29.3%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST34thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
19.7%
in the top 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
28.4%
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST56thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS81stDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Howells, Nebraska (ZIP 68641) lands in the top 25% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,053rd) and the top 31% of Nebraska (173rd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A number of measures pull each way for this area: modeled short sleep resides in the bottom 6.8% nationally, and loneliness registers in the bottom 9.6% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity rests in the bottom 14.3% nationally. Crowded housing stands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled cognitive disability lies in the bottom 15% nationally, and fair or poor health lands in the bottom 16% nationally. Set against that, modeled radon sits in the top 0.5% nationally, binge drinking is in the top 7.4% nationally, and energy burden settles in the top 10.7% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
A note on the terms: radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. 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. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 68779, about 2.1 miles away, ranks better 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.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 95%
8%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 40%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 62%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 56%
13%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
“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
68629
Nebraskashares a border
Score 55.78
Closest healthier
68779
Nebraskaabout 2.1 mi away
Score 56.47
Similar health profile
68717
Nebraska99% similar profile
Score 56.86
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 | 26.2% | 23.7–28.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.7% | 30.5–36.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.8–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.2–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.0–7.9 |
| Depression among adults | 16.6% | 14.5–19.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–12.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.3% | 32.1–38.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.8% | 31.4–42.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.1–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.8% | 11.4–16.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.8% | 6.4–9.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.4% | 78.1–82.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.7% | 72.7–78.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.8% | 83.0–86.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.8% | 62.3–71.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.4% | 63.3–69.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.0% | 70.7–82.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.7% | 17.1–22.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.5% | 22.1–29.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.3% | 24.3–34.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.5% | 13.5–17.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.6% | 12.1–15.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.3% | 10.9–13.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.4% | 24.2–31.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.3–8.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.1% | 11.3–14.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.0–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.4% | 16.9–22.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.5–12.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.0–8.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.7–9.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 5.1–6.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.4% | 24.7–32.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.7–6.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.8% | 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+) | 27.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.4% (12.1–39.7%) n=578 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.4% (0.0–5.8%) n=579 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.0% | 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 | 1.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579 |
| Single-parent households | 60.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577 |
| Population 65+ | 25.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 21.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579 |
| Median age | 50.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577 |
| Median household income | $80,625 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556 |
| Median home value | $122,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $168,400 ($90,000–$306,740) n=533 |
| Median gross rent | $632 | $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 | 82.2 yr ± 1.03 | 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 1.03 years of 82.2, 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