2026 Rankings

Worst Infrastructure: Nebraska — 2026 Rankings

Last updated: October 15, 2026

566 ZIP codes ranked by Infrastructure Stress Indicator #1: ZIP 68072 (Winslow, NE) - 71/100

Out of 566 ZIP codes with infrastructure data in Nebraska, 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 566
Highest stress indicator 71/100
Median stress indicator 59/100
Average stress indicator 54/100
State Nebraska

Top 100 ZIP Codes by Infrastructure Stress

Rank ZIP Code City State Infrastructure Stress Stress Level Safety Score
1 68072 Winslow NE 71/100 Very High —
2 68623 Belgrade NE 70/100 Very High —
3 68751 Maskell NE 70/100 Very High —
4 69219 Nenzel NE 69/100 Very High —
5 68452 Ong NE 68/100 Very High —
6 68667 Surprise NE 68/100 Very High —
7 68747 Mclean NE 68/100 Very High —
8 68749 Magnet NE 68/100 Very High —
9 68816 Archer NE 68/100 Very High —
10 69046 Wilsonville NE 68/100 Very High —
11 69351 Lakeside NE 68/100 Very High —
12 68001 Abie NE 67/100 Very High —
13 68309 Barneston NE 67/100 Very High —
14 68367 Gresham NE 67/100 Very High —
15 68375 Hubbell NE 67/100 Very High —
16 68421 Peru NE 67/100 Very High —
17 68654 Polk NE 67/100 Very High —
18 68717 Belden NE 67/100 Very High —
19 68732 Dixon NE 67/100 Very High —
20 68936 Edison NE 67/100 Very High —
21 68948 Holbrook NE 67/100 Very High —
22 69128 Bushnell NE 67/100 Very High —
23 68055 Rosalie NE 66/100 Very High —
24 68325 Byron NE 66/100 Very High —
25 68346 Dunbar NE 66/100 Very High —
26 68376 Humboldt NE 66/100 Very High —
27 68417 Otoe NE 66/100 Very High —
28 68439 Staplehurst NE 66/100 Very High —
29 68761 Oakdale NE 66/100 Very High —
30 68789 Winnetoon NE 66/100 Very High —
31 68790 Winside NE 66/100 Very High —
32 68828 Comstock NE 66/100 Very High —
33 68926 Beaver City NE 66/100 Very High —
34 68942 Guide Rock NE 66/100 Very High —
35 68960 Naponee NE 66/100 Very High —
36 68966 Orleans NE 66/100 Very High —
37 68972 Riverton NE 66/100 Very High —
38 68975 Saronville NE 66/100 Very High —
39 69039 Moorefield NE 66/100 Very High —
40 69043 Stratton NE 66/100 Very High —
41 69045 Wauneta NE 66/100 Very High —
42 69354 Marsland NE 66/100 Very High —
43 69355 Melbeta NE 66/100 Very High —
44 68040 Malmo NE 65/100 Very High —
45 68324 Burr NE 65/100 Very High —
46 68332 Crab Orchard NE 65/100 Very High —
47 68345 Du Bois NE 65/100 Very High —
48 68406 Milligan NE 65/100 Very High —
49 68416 Ohiowa NE 65/100 Very High —
50 68453 Tobias NE 65/100 Very High —
51 68464 Western NE 65/100 Very High —
52 68631 Creston NE 65/100 Very High —
53 68719 Bristow NE 65/100 Very High —
54 68758 Newman Grove NE 65/100 Very High —
55 68766 Page NE 65/100 Very High —
56 68786 Wausa NE 65/100 Very High —
57 68814 Ansley NE 65/100 Very High —
58 68815 Arcadia NE 65/100 Very High —
59 68846 Hordville NE 65/100 Very High —
60 69038 Maywood NE 65/100 Very High —
61 69122 Big Springs NE 65/100 Very High —
62 69168 Venango NE 65/100 Very High —
63 69217 Long Pine NE 65/100 Very High —
64 68019 Craig NE 64/100 Very High —
65 68029 Herman NE 64/100 Very High —
66 68057 Scribner NE 64/100 Very High —
67 68319 Bradshaw NE 64/100 Very High —
68 68323 Burchard NE 64/100 Very High —
69 68350 Endicott NE 64/100 Very High —
70 68441 Steinauer NE 64/100 Very High —
71 68641 Howells NE 64/100 Very High —
72 68655 Primrose NE 64/100 Very High —
73 68658 Rising City NE 64/100 Very High —
74 68722 Butte NE 64/100 Very High —
75 68724 Center NE 64/100 Very High —
76 68728 Concord NE 64/100 Very High —
77 68859 North Loup NE 64/100 Very High —
78 68874 Sargent NE 64/100 Very High —
79 68929 Bloomington NE 64/100 Very High —
80 68934 Deweese NE 64/100 Very High —
81 68947 Hildreth NE 64/100 Very High —
82 68981 Upland NE 64/100 Very High —
83 69040 Palisade NE 64/100 Very High —
84 69131 Dalton NE 64/100 Very High —
85 69150 Madrid NE 64/100 Very High —
86 69334 Bayard NE 64/100 Very High —
87 69339 Crawford NE 64/100 Very High —
88 69352 Lyman NE 64/100 Very High —
89 68015 Cedar Bluffs NE 63/100 Very High —
90 68018 Colon NE 63/100 Very High —
91 68038 Lyons NE 63/100 Very High —
92 68303 Alexandria NE 63/100 Very High —
93 68326 Carleton NE 63/100 Very High —
94 68327 Chester NE 63/100 Very High —
95 68340 Deshler NE 63/100 Very High —
96 68377 Jansen NE 63/100 Very High —
97 68381 Liberty NE 63/100 Very High —
98 68420 Pawnee City NE 63/100 Very High —
99 68433 Salem NE 63/100 Very High —
100 68438 Sprague NE 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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