Health · Bennington
Bennington, KS health
On most measures Bennington looks like Kansas as a whole. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (8.6% vs 11.3%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for BenningtonTownTapestry Health GradeNew
B−
Bennington’s Health Grade: B−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Bennington is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns.
BSelf-rated healthBPhysical distressB+Mental distressCObesityB-DiabetesCSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 47%
Less healthyHealthier
Kansas towns we grade (377)Healthier than 43%
Towns with similar incomes, $64K–$107K (9,476)Healthier than 38%
About what its income would suggest. Bennington does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Bennington could be anywhere from C− to A−.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Kansas ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Bennington with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Bennington uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Bennington compares with Kansas
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
38.5% have obesity
1 better11 close0 worse
Habits
25.9% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
76.5% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
30% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
11.4% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
31.3% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Bennington adults…
35 of every 100 Bennington adults have high blood pressure
Kansas: 34 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.9–39.3%
Bars show Bennington; the black tick is Kansas. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Bennington, betterBennington, worseToo close to callKansas
Get no exerciseshare of adults
25.9% Bennington
KS 25.6%
KS 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
31.3% Bennington
KS 34.3%
KS 34.3%
Binge drinkshare of adults
17.1% Bennington
KS 16.3%
KS 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
15.9% Bennington
KS 14%
KS 14%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Bennington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Yearly checkup
KS 77%Dentist visit
KS 65%Cholesterol check
KS 84%Colon screening
KS 64%Mammogram
KS 75%Taking BP meds
KS 78%1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Bennington 7.8% · Kansas 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection
How Bennington adults are doing
1 in 3Bennington adults feel lonely
30% · Kansas 30.9% · too close to call
1 in 5Bennington adults have been diagnosed with depression
22% · Kansas 20.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Bennington adults lack social or emotional support
20.2% · Kansas 21.1% · too close to call
1 in 6Bennington adults are in frequent mental distress
16.8% · Kansas 16% · too close to call
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 9
Bennington adults worry about having enough food
11.4% · KS 13% · about the same
1 in 10
Bennington adults worry about keeping their housing
10% · KS 11.2% · about the same
1 in 13
Bennington adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.9% · KS 8.2% · about the same
1 in 15
Bennington adults lack reliable transportation
6.7% · KS 7.1% · about the same
6.9% of Bennington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Disability
Living with a disability
31.3%
of Bennington adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs14.3%
Thinking or memory14.8%
Hearing8.2%
Errands alone8.2%
Vision4.4%
Dressing or bathing3.7%
Black tick: Kansas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Bennington
No hospital or community health center in Bennington itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest EROttawa County Health CenterMinneapolis · 8.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSalina Health Education FoundationSalina · 14.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
14.2 mi
Salina Health Education Foundation
2 sites · nearest in Salina
Salina Family Healthcare CenterSalina · 14.2 mi
Salina Family Eye Care CenterSalina · 16.8 mi
31.1 mi
Konza Prairie Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Chapman
Konza Prairie Community Health Center Chapman ClinicChapman · 31.1 mi
Konza Prairie Community Health CenterJunction City · 41.3 mi
Konza Prairie Community Health Center Riley County Manhattan ClinicManhattan · 56.1 mi
Nothing matches.
✓ Primary careBennington is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careBennington is not a shortage area
! Mental healthBennington's county is a federal shortage area.Ottawa County · need score 12 of 25
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bennington. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Bennington
| Measure | Bennington | Margin | Kansas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 35.1% | 30.9–39.3% | 34.4% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 36.5% | 32.2–41% | 36.7% | about the same |
| Obesity | 38.5% | 30.3–46.9% | 36.5% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 28.2% | 24.9–31.6% | 25.5% | about the same |
| Depression | 22% | 18.6–25.8% | 20.8% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 8.6% | 6.9–10.7% | 11.3% | better |
| Asthma | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.1% | 8.1–10.1% | 8.1% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1% | 9.4–12.9% | 11.4% | about the same |
| COPD | 7.7% | 6.4–9.2% | 6.7% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 7% | 6.1–7.9% | 6.4% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.5% | 3.1–4% | 3.2% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.9% | 12.7–19.3% | 14% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 17.1% | 14–20.4% | 16.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 25.9% | 21.1–31.4% | 25.6% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3% | 25.4–37.8% | 34.3% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 76.5% | 72.7–80.2% | 76.6% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 67.5% | 64–70.9% | 64.9% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 84.9% | 82.3–87% | 84.1% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 62.8% | 57.6–67.8% | 63.5% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 73.1% | 65.1–80.2% | 74.6% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.4% | 75.4–81% | 77.6% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 7.8% | 5.9–10.3% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 30% | 24.9–35.3% | 30.9% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 20.2% | 16.7–24% | 21.1% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 16.8% | 14.6–19.3% | 16% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 17.9% | 15–21.3% | 18% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 13.2% | 11.4–15.2% | 12.3% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 11.4% | 8.8–14.5% | 13% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 10% | 8–12.3% | 11.2% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.9% | 6.5–9.4% | 8.2% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 6.7% | 5.5–8% | 7.1% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 6.9% | 5.2–9.1% | 7.4% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3% | 26.6–36.4% | 30.4% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 14.3% | 12–16.9% | 13.4% | |
| Thinking or memory | 14.8% | 12.7–17.2% | 14.4% | |
| Hearing | 8.2% | 7.2–9.3% | 7.4% | |
| Vision | 4.4% | 3.8–5.2% | 4.6% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.7% | 3.1–4.3% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 8.2% | 6.9–9.6% | 7.7% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Bennington door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Kansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Bennington better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Bennington directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Kansas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.