ZIP code
68812
in Amherst, NebraskaPopulation 642
56.99/ 100
Ranked #7,283 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #137 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (top 24%)
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.
Civic-institution access
1.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Nitrate in drinking water
5.3%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.3%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS95thDefinition & 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
27.6%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST30thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
7.0%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
2.6%
in the bottom 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, Amherst, Nebraska (ZIP 68812) comes out in the top 23% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,283rd) and the top 24% of Nebraska (137th).
The data is generous to this ZIP in several places worth naming: civic rests in the top 2.6% nationally, modeled loneliness lies in the bottom 5.4% nationally, and poverty sits in the bottom 8.6% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity settles in the bottom 12.3% nationally. Working the other way, modeled nitrate registers in the top 4.1% nationally, and binge drinking stands in the top 5.2% nationally. Crowded housing lands in the top 8.4% nationally, and modeled radon is in the top 11.2% nationally. Fiber broadband resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Slow internet speeds rests in the top 12.0% nationally.
In plain terms, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 68836, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 74%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 91%
8%
Disability
healthier than 82%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 48%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 65%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
“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
68836
Nebraskashares a border
Score 57.77
Closest healthier
68845
Nebraskashares a border
Score 57.57
Similar health profile
68314
Nebraska99% similar profile
Score 58.71
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 | 26.3% | 23.6–29.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.1% | 31.7–38.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.2 |
| Depression among adults | 18.3% | 15.8–21.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.4% | 31.1–37.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.7% | 33.5–43.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.4% | 6.8–10.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.4–8.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.2% | 76.4–81.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.0% | 73.9–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 84.2–87.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.8% | 59.1–68.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.7% | 63.5–70.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.9% | 65.5–79.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.3% | 17.5–23.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.2% | 11.1–15.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.8% | 19.3–26.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.7% | 26.8–36.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 14.7% | 12.7–16.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.1% | 12.4–15.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.1% | 10.7–13.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.1% | 21.9–28.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.7–7.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.4% | 9.8–13.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.7–3.5 |
| 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 | 19.7% | 16.7–23.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 7.8–12.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 5.5–8.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.2–9.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.7–6.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 27.6% | 23.5–32.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 2.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 1.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 41.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.4% (12.1–39.7%) n=578 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.4% (0.0–5.8%) n=579 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.5% (61.0–93.2%) n=578 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 7.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=578 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579 |
| Single-parent households | 43.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577 |
| Population 65+ | 15.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 21.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579 |
| Median age | 37.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577 |
| Median household income | $69,808 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556 |
| Median home value | $229,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $168,400 ($90,000–$306,740) n=533 |
| Median gross rent | $672 | $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 | 82.5 yr ± 1.44 | 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 1.44 years of 82.5, 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