ZIP code
68849
in Kearney, NebraskaPopulation 1,385
54.09/ 100
Ranked #10,577 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #278 of 566 Nebraska ZIPs (top 49%)
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.
High cholesterol
11.1%
in the bottom 0.03% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
10.1%
in the bottom 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Mammography
58.3%
in the bottom 0.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
45%
in the bottom 0.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
1.5%
in the bottom 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
0.80%
in the bottom 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Stroke
0.50%
in the bottom 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
24.2%
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Mobility disability
3.0%
in the bottom 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
2.4%
in the bottom 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 68849, one of several in Kearney, Nebraska, in overall standing, comes out in the top 33% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,577th) and the top 49% of Nebraska (278th).
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: fatal road crashes settles at the national minimum, and modeled self-care disability lands in the bottom 0.4% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled mammography rests in the bottom 0.6% nationally, colon screening settles in the bottom 0.7% nationally, and binge drinking lands in the top 0.7% nationally. Slow internet speeds rests in the top 0.7% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure settles in the top 1.1% nationally. Modeled loneliness lands in the top 1.2% nationally, and tree cover rests at the national minimum. Modeled cognitive disability settles in the top 6.0% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, slow internet speeds runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 68845, 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
in the top 0.4%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Disability
healthier than 88%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.9%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 7%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.00%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 81%
11%
Disability
healthier than 88%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 40%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.3%
13%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.7%
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
68845
Nebraskashares a border
Score 57.57
Closest healthier
68847
Nebraskaabout 0.4 mi away
Score 56.23
Similar health profile
79016
Texas99% similar profile
Score 55.37
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 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 4.1% | 3.3–4.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 10.1% | 8.4–11.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 0.7% | 0.6–0.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.3–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 0.8% | 0.6–0.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 1.9% | 1.2–2.7 |
| Depression among adults | 24.4% | 20.5–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 1.5% | 1.2–1.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 11.1% | 9.4–13.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.3% | 23.3–33.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 0.5% | 0.4–0.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.8% | 7.5–16.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 21.0% | 17.3–24.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 66.1% | 61.4–70.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 59.1% | 51.6–65.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 45.0% | 39.2–50.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.3% | 61.7–68.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 58.3% | 48.1–67.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 24.2% | 20.6–28.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 7.1% | 4.4–10.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.7% | 15.0–27.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.1% | 24.2–33.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 12.7% | 9.3–18.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 23.8% | 18.5–27.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 8.1% | 6.0–10.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 21.0% | 15.3–27.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.4% | 21.0–34.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 2.4% | 1.9–2.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.6% | 6.5–13.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.1–4.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 1.3% | 0.9–1.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.1–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.2% | 19.1–29.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.1% | 13.1–29.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 6.4–18.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 7.8–15.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.1% | 9.1–16.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 43.1% | 36.4–49.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 4.9–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | — | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | — | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | — | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.4% (12.1–39.7%) n=578 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.4% (0.0–5.8%) n=579 |
| Households without a vehicle | — | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–7.6%) n=578 |
| Broadband subscription | — | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | — | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578 |
| Homeownership rate | — | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.5% (61.0–93.2%) n=578 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | — | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.6%) n=578 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=579 |
| Single-parent households | — | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577 |
| Population 65+ | 0.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 21.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579 |
| Median age | 19.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577 |
| Median household income | — | $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 | 76.8 yr ± 1.70 | 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 1.70 years of 76.8, 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