2026 Rankings

Worst Infrastructure: Kansas — 2026 Rankings

Last updated: October 15, 2026

680 ZIP codes ranked by Infrastructure Stress Indicator #1: ZIP 67482 (Talmage, KS) - 72/100

Out of 680 ZIP codes with infrastructure data in Kansas, these areas have the highest modeled infrastructure stress indicator values, computed from area-level data on infrastructure age, funding gaps, violation history, and lead indicators. The indicator is not a measured failure probability or forecast.

Statistic Value
ZIP codes ranked 680
Highest stress indicator 72/100
Median stress indicator 46/100
Average stress indicator 48/100
State Kansas

Top 100 ZIP Codes by Infrastructure Stress

Rank ZIP Code City State Infrastructure Stress Stress Level Safety Score
1 67482 Talmage KS 72/100 Very High —
2 67744 Ludell KS 72/100 Very High —
3 66948 Jamestown KS 71/100 Very High —
4 66960 Narka KS 71/100 Very High —
5 67445 Glasco KS 71/100 Very High —
6 67519 Belpre KS 70/100 Very High —
7 67674 Walker KS 70/100 Very High —
8 67675 Woodston KS 70/100 Very High —
9 66522 Oneida KS 69/100 Very High —
10 66932 Athol KS 69/100 Very High —
11 66963 Randall KS 69/100 Very High —
12 67066 Iuka KS 69/100 Very High —
13 67418 Barnard KS 69/100 Very High —
14 67623 Alton KS 69/100 Very High —
15 67427 Bushton KS 68/100 Very High —
16 67475 Ramona KS 68/100 Very High —
17 67520 Bison KS 68/100 Very High —
18 67628 Cedar KS 68/100 Very High —
19 67638 Gaylord KS 68/100 Very High —
20 66838 Burdick KS 67/100 Very High —
21 66959 Munden KS 67/100 Very High —
22 67417 Aurora KS 67/100 Very High —
23 67468 Morganville KS 67/100 Very High —
24 67513 Alexander KS 67/100 Very High —
25 67644 Kirwin KS 67/100 Very High —
26 67651 Natoma KS 67/100 Very High —
27 66783 Yates Center KS 66/100 Very High —
28 66946 Hollenberg KS 66/100 Very High —
29 66956 Mankato KS 66/100 Very High —
30 66964 Republic KS 66/100 Very High —
31 66966 Scandia KS 66/100 Very High —
32 67438 Durham KS 66/100 Very High —
33 67455 Lincoln KS 66/100 Very High —
34 67474 Portis KS 66/100 Very High —
35 67478 Simpson KS 66/100 Very High —
36 67510 Abbyville KS 66/100 Very High —
37 67565 Otis KS 66/100 Very High —
38 67631 Collyer KS 66/100 Very High —
39 67751 Park KS 66/100 Very High —
40 66901 Concordia KS 65/100 Very High —
41 66933 Barnes KS 65/100 Very High —
42 66938 Clyde KS 65/100 Very High —
43 66939 Courtland KS 65/100 Very High —
44 66949 Jewell KS 65/100 Very High —
45 67155 Wilmore KS 65/100 Very High —
46 67159 Zenda KS 65/100 Very High —
47 67485 Tipton KS 65/100 Very High —
48 67514 Arlington KS 65/100 Very High —
49 67545 Hudson KS 65/100 Very High —
50 67556 Mc Cracken KS 65/100 Very High —
51 67568 Plevna KS 65/100 Very High —
52 67625 Bogue KS 65/100 Very High —
53 67635 Dresden KS 65/100 Very High —
54 67647 Long Island KS 65/100 Very High —
55 67657 Palco KS 65/100 Very High —
56 67731 Bird City KS 65/100 Very High —
57 67741 Kanorado KS 65/100 Very High —
58 67857 Kendall KS 65/100 Very High —
59 66017 Denton KS 64/100 Very High —
60 66518 Oketo KS 64/100 Very High —
61 66862 Matfield Green KS 64/100 Very High —
62 66937 Clifton KS 64/100 Very High —
63 66940 Cuba KS 64/100 Very High —
64 66942 Formoso KS 64/100 Very High —
65 66951 Kensington KS 64/100 Very High —
66 67057 Hardtner KS 64/100 Very High —
67 67112 Nashville KS 64/100 Very High —
68 67446 Glen Elder KS 64/100 Very High —
69 67452 Hunter KS 64/100 Very High —
70 67458 Longford KS 64/100 Very High —
71 67511 Albert KS 64/100 Very High —
72 67529 Garfield KS 64/100 Very High —
73 67561 Nickerson KS 64/100 Very High —
74 67632 Damar KS 64/100 Very High —
75 67645 Lenora KS 64/100 Very High —
76 67658 Paradise KS 64/100 Very High —
77 67669 Stockton KS 64/100 Very High —
78 67844 Fowler KS 64/100 Very High —
79 67862 Manter KS 64/100 Very High —
80 66412 Bremen KS 63/100 Very High —
81 66541 Summerfield KS 63/100 Very High —
82 66853 Hamilton KS 63/100 Very High —
83 67022 Caldwell KS 63/100 Very High —
84 67029 Coldwater KS 63/100 Very High —
85 67105 Milan KS 63/100 Very High —
86 67334 Chautauqua KS 63/100 Very High —
87 67353 Moline KS 63/100 Very High —
88 67420 Beloit KS 63/100 Very High —
89 67437 Downs KS 63/100 Very High —
90 67473 Osborne KS 63/100 Very High —
91 67559 Nekoma KS 63/100 Very High —
92 67567 Pawnee Rock KS 63/100 Very High —
93 67573 Raymond KS 63/100 Very High —
94 67574 Rozel KS 63/100 Very High —
95 67576 Saint John KS 63/100 Very High —
96 67583 Turon KS 63/100 Very High —
97 67621 Agra KS 63/100 Very High —
98 67629 Clayton KS 63/100 Very High —
99 67653 Norcatur KS 63/100 Very High —
100 67659 Penokee KS 63/100 Very High —

Methodology

Infrastructure stress rankings combine four data sources, each weighted equally (25%): (1) EPA Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment (DWINSA 2023) — state-level 20-year infrastructure need per capita for pipe replacement, treatment, and storage; (2) Census ACS housing vintage — percentage of homes built before 1980; (3) EPA SDWIS violation and enforcement data — system-level compliance history; (4) available Lead and Copper Rule indicators — service line material inventories and testing results. The combined value is a normalized 0-100 comparative stress indicator, not a measured pipe-failure probability or a forecast.

Data sources: EPA DWINS 2023, Census ACS, EPA SDWIS, Lead and Copper Rule data. Last updated: 2026-10-15.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the infrastructure stress indicator mean?

The indicator summarizes infrastructure funding gaps, housing age, violation history, and lead indicators on a 0-100 scale. It is a comparative heuristic, not a measured pipe-failure probability or a forecast of a water-main break.

How is infrastructure stress calculated?

The indicator combines four equally weighted factors: state-level infrastructure need per capita (EPA DWINSA 2023), housing vintage (Census ACS pre-1980 housing percentage), water system compliance history (EPA SDWIS), and available lead indicators.

What can homeowners do about aging infrastructure?

Ask your water utility or health department about testing your tap water, especially for lead. Check if your home has a lead service line through your water utility. If you use a filter, choose one certified under NSF/ANSI 53 for the specific contaminant, such as lead. Review your water system Consumer Confidence Report for violation history.

Does high stress mean my water is unsafe right now?

Not necessarily. Infrastructure stress is a screening indicator of long-term vulnerability, not a measurement of current contamination or a prediction of failure. For current conditions, check utility notices and the latest Consumer Confidence Report, and test your tap for contaminants of concern.

Explore More Rankings

How this ranking is calculated, data sources, and limitations: Rankings Methodology →


Related Rankings

Water Safety 2026 EPA violations and water quality scores Lead Risk 2026 Lead service-line indicators and system-level action-level exceedances Infrastructure 2026 Aging pipes, system age and remediation costs
Disclaimer: Rankings are based on EPA, FEMA, and federal agency data. They reflect historical patterns and risk indicators, not necessarily current conditions. For the most current information, contact your local water utility or request a Consumer Confidence Report.

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