Health · Kaw

Kaw, KS health

Kaw differs from Kansas on 11 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (9.9% vs 13%) and fewer uninsured adults (7.6% vs 9.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (9.9% vs 8.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 66429, 66512, 66617, 66073
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Kaw’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Kaw is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, and than 80% of towns with similar incomes.

B+Self-rated healthB+Physical distressA-Mental distressBObesityBDiabetesB-SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 64%
Less healthyHealthier
Kansas towns we grade (377)Healthier than 67%
Towns with similar incomes, $53K–$89K (9,697)Healthier than 80%

Better than its income would suggest. Kaw is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Kaw 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 Kaw 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. Kaw’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. 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 Kaw 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

Out of every 100 Kaw adults…

37 of every 100 Kaw adults have high blood pressure
Kansas: 34 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.1–40.5%

Bars show Kaw; the black tick is Kansas. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Kaw, betterKaw, worseToo close to callKansas
Get no exerciseshare of adults 24.9% Kaw
KS 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.2% Kaw
KS 34.3%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.4% Kaw
KS 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.6% Kaw
KS 14%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Kaw adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.

79%
Yearly checkup
KS 77%
70%
Dentist visit
KS 65%
87%
Cholesterol check
KS 84%
68%
Colon screening
KS 64%
76%
Mammogram
KS 75%
81%
Taking BP meds
KS 78%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Kaw 7.6% · Kansas 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Kaw adults are doing

1 in 3Kaw adults feel lonely
30% · Kansas 30.9% · too close to call
1 in 5Kaw adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.3% · Kansas 20.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Kaw adults lack social or emotional support
20% · Kansas 21.1% · too close to call
1 in 7Kaw adults are in frequent mental distress
15.3% · 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 10
Kaw adults worry about having enough food
9.9% · KS 13% · better
1 in 11
Kaw adults worry about keeping their housing
8.9% · KS 11.2% · better
1 in 15
Kaw adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.5% · KS 8.2% · better
1 in 18
Kaw adults lack reliable transportation
5.7% · KS 7.1% · better

5.4% of Kaw adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.

Disability

Living with a disability

31.7%

of Kaw adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.3%
Thinking or memory13.7%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone7.3%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.4%

Black tick: Kansas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Kaw

Kaw and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Kaw.

Tecumseh: 36.8% Kentucky: 34.9% Soldier: 36.4% Lecompton: 32% Rock Creek: 35% Topeka: 39.7% Topeka: 38.8% Monmouth: 35% Kanwaka: 31.3% Rural: 34.7% Fairview: 35.3% Oskaloosa: 35.2% Menoken: 35.3% Wakarusa: 31.7% Ozawkie: 35.5% Delaware: 35.6% Kaw: 35.3% Kaw Tecumseh Kentucky Soldier Lecompton Rock Creek University of Kansas Health System - St. Francis Campus · Topeka · 8.7 mi · 3★ MedicareH Stormont Vail Hospital · Topeka · 8.8 mi · 4★ MedicareH VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System · Topeka · 10.9 mi · 4★ MedicareH Lmh · Lawrence · 17.8 mi · 4★ MedicareH Achc in Topeka · Topeka · 6.1 mi+ Gracemed Capitol Family Clinic · Topeka · 9 mi+
31.3%39.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#9 of 17towns on this map, healthiest first
Lecompton32%
Kentucky34.9%
Rock Creek35%
Kaw35.3%
Soldier36.4%
Tecumseh36.8%
6 places to get careNearest ER 8.7 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Kaw

No hospital or community health center in Kaw itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERUniversity of Kansas Health System - St. Francis CampusTopeka · 8.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyStormont Vail Hospital★★★★★ · 8.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careAtchison Community Health ClinicTopeka · 6.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.1 mi
Atchison Community Health Clinic
2 sites · nearest in Topeka
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.7 mi
University of Kansas Health System - St. Francis Campus
Topeka · ★★★★★
ER
8.8 mi
Stormont Vail Hospital
Topeka · ★★★★★
ER
9 mi
Gracemed Capitol Family Clinic
Topeka · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
10.9 mi
VA Eastern Kansas Healthcare System
Topeka · ★★★★★
ERVA
17.8 mi
Lmh
Lawrence · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careKaw is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careKaw is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthKaw is not a shortage area

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 Kaw. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Kaw
MeasureKawMarginKansas
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36.7%33.1–40.5%34.4%about the same
High cholesterol39%35.2–43.1%36.7%about the same
Obesity35.3%29.4–41.8%36.5%about the same
Arthritis29.3%26.2–32.5%25.5%worse
Depression21.3%18.3–24.4%20.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)9.5%7.8–11.5%11.3%about the same
Asthma10.2%9.1–11.4%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.9%9–10.9%8.1%worse
Diabetes11.6%10–13.3%11.4%about the same
COPD7.4%6.4–8.5%6.7%about the same
Heart disease7.3%6.4–8.1%6.4%about the same
Stroke3.5%3.1–3.9%3.2%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.6%12.2–17%14%about the same
Binge drink16.4%13.8–19.3%16.3%about the same
Get no exercise24.9%20.9–29%25.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.2%27.2–37.5%34.3%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.2%76.1–82.2%76.6%about the same
Dentist visit69.8%66.8–72.8%64.9%better
Cholesterol check86.9%85.1–88.5%84.1%better
Colon screening68.4%64–72.7%63.5%better
Mammogram75.7%69.1–81.7%74.6%about the same
Taking BP meds80.7%78.1–83.2%77.6%better
No health insurance7.6%6.2–9.1%9.9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30%25.8–34.6%30.9%about the same
Lack emotional support20%17.1–23.3%21.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress15.3%13.5–17.2%16%about the same
Fair or poor health17.6%15–20.1%18%about the same
Frequent physical distress12.9%11.2–14.5%12.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity9.9%8.2–11.9%13%better
Housing insecurity8.9%7.4–10.4%11.2%better
Utility shut-off threat6.5%5.6–7.6%8.2%better
No reliable transportation5.7%4.9–6.6%7.1%better
Receive SNAP5.4%4.4–6.6%7.4%
Disability
Any disability31.7%27.7–35.8%30.4%
Walking or climbing stairs14.3%12.2–16.4%13.4%
Thinking or memory13.7%12–15.4%14.4%
Hearing8.3%7.4–9.3%7.4%
Vision4.1%3.6–4.6%4.6%
Dressing or bathing3.4%3–3.8%3.5%
Errands alone7.3%6.3–8.2%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 Kaw door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Kansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Kaw better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Kaw by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Kaw by how much of its land each one covers.

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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01