ZIP code
68855
in Mason City, NebraskaPopulation 400
54.09/ 100
Ranked #10,582 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #279 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.
Energy-cost burden
7.3%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
17.8 mi
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
15%
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.2%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to an emergency room
17.7 mi
in the top 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›The read
Mason City, Nebraska (ZIP 68855), in overall standing, comes out in the top 33% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,582nd) and the top 49% of Nebraska (279th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: unemployment stands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle resides at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep sits in the bottom 12.0% nationally. Against that, modeled energy burden stands in the top 1.0% nationally, and distance to a nursing home resides in the top 4.1% nationally. Modeled transportation noise sits in the top 4.3% nationally, and binge drinking stands in the top 5.5% nationally. Distance to an emergency room resides in the top 7.4% nationally, and slow internet speeds sits in the top 10.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center stands in the top 10.9% nationally.
Defined simply, for reference, energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 68812, 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 69%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 95%
8%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 39%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 76%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 64%
8%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
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
68812
Nebraskashares a border
Score 56.99
Closest healthier
68870
Nebraskaabout 9.3 mi away
Score 60.41
Similar health profile
68864
Nebraska97% similar profile
Score 52.89
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 | 26.7% | 23.9–29.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.3% | 32.7–40.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–10.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.9% | 5.8–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 16.7% | 14.3–19.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.4% | 9.9–13.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.6% | 30.1–37.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.7% | 33.9–45.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 3.0–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.8% | 7.9–11.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.7% | 5.9–9.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.3% | 77.6–82.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.5% | 72.9–79.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.0% | 82.9–87.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.7% | 57.8–67.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.9% | 63.5–70.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.5% | 65.8–80.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.2% | 17.1–23.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.8% | 11.3–16.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.3% | 22.3–30.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.5% | 25.3–36.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.0% | 12.6–17.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.5% | 11.8–15.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.8% | 10.2–13.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.4% | 9.8–13.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 26.6% | 23.1–30.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.2–9.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 5.8–7.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.4–14.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.8–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.5–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.5% | 16.4–23.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 7.8–12.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 5.5–9.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.2–9.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.6–6.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.0% | 24.7–34.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.5–6.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NE median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.0% (2.6–16.7%) n=578 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.4% (1.6–20.4%) n=579 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (1.5–11.9%) n=578 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.3% | 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 | 88.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (75.9–96.3%) n=578 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 13.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.5% (7.6–30.4%) n=578 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 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 | 48.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.2% (42.6–77.1%) n=577 |
| Population 65+ | 27.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 21.2% (11.4–34.7%) n=579 |
| Median age | 34.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.0–56.3) n=577 |
| Median household income | $78,750 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,386 ($53,469–$103,625) n=556 |
| Median home value | $235,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $168,400 ($90,000–$306,740) n=533 |
| Median gross rent | $879 | $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 ± 2.49 | 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 2.49 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