Health · Lawson
Lawson, MO health
On every measure CDC estimates, Lawson looks like Missouri as a whole: no difference is outside the margin of error.
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for LawsonTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C
Lawson’s Health Grade: C
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Lawson is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns and 59% of Missouri towns.
C+Self-rated healthC+Physical distressC-Mental distressC+ObesityBDiabetesC-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 30%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 59%
Towns with similar incomes, $49K–$82K (9,208)Healthier than 38%
About what its income would suggest. Lawson does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Lawson could be anywhere from D to B+.
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 Missouri 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 Lawson 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. Lawson 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 Lawson compares with Missouri
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
38.1% have obesity
0 better12 close0 worse
Habits
31.3% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
76.6% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
32.2% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
13% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
37.7% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Lawson adults…
36 of every 100 Lawson adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.3–39.9%
Bars show Lawson; the black tick is Missouri. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Lawson, betterLawson, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults
31.3% Lawson
MO 28.8%
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
37.1% Lawson
MO 36.5%
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults
16.7% Lawson
MO 16.3%
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
17.7% Lawson
MO 16%
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Lawson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Yearly checkup
MO 78%Dentist visit
MO 60%Cholesterol check
MO 85%Colon screening
MO 64%Mammogram
MO 75%Taking BP meds
MO 77%1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Lawson 8.9% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Lawson adults are doing
1 in 3Lawson adults feel lonely
32.2% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Lawson adults have been diagnosed with depression
26% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Lawson adults lack social or emotional support
20% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Lawson adults are in frequent mental distress
18.9% · Missouri 17.5% · 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 8
Lawson adults worry about having enough food
13% · MO 13.7% · about the same
1 in 9
Lawson adults worry about keeping their housing
11.4% · MO 12.1% · about the same
1 in 12
Lawson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.2% · MO 9% · about the same
1 in 12
Lawson adults lack reliable transportation
8.1% · MO 8.4% · about the same
10.1% of Lawson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Disability
Living with a disability
37.7%
of Lawson adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs16.1%
Thinking or memory18.7%
Hearing8.7%
Errands alone9.7%
Vision5%
Dressing or bathing3.8%
Black tick: Missouri. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Lawson
No hospital or community health center in Lawson itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERExcelsior Springs HospitalExcelsior Springs · 5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSamuel U. Rodgers Health CenterLiberty · 17.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
17.3 mi
Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Liberty
Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center Clay County Family Medicine & DentalLiberty · 17.3 mi
Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center Northland Family PracticeKansas City · 25.3 mi
20.8 mi
Hcc Network
2 sites · nearest in Buckner
Hcc Network - BucknerBuckner · 20.8 mi
Hcc Network - IndependenceIndependence · 23 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careLawson's county is a federal shortage area.Ray County · need score 12 of 25
! Dental careLawson's county is a federal shortage area.Ray County · need score 13 of 25
! Mental healthLawson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA 6 · need score 17 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 Lawson. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Lawson
| Measure | Lawson | Margin | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 36% | 32.3–39.9% | 36.5% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 37.1% | 33.2–41.2% | 37.5% | about the same |
| Obesity | 38.1% | 30.8–45.9% | 36.6% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2% | 26.3–32.3% | 28.8% | about the same |
| Depression | 26% | 22.5–29.8% | 24.3% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 13.4% | 11–16% | 15.8% | about the same |
| Asthma | 10.9% | 9.7–12.2% | 10.6% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.7% | 7.9–9.6% | 8.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4% | 9.9–13% | 12.1% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.5% | 7.3–9.9% | 8% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 6.8% | 6–7.6% | 6.8% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.6% | 3.1–4% | 3.6% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.7% | 14.7–20.8% | 16% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 16.7% | 13.9–19.8% | 16.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 31.3% | 26.4–36.4% | 28.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.1% | 31.2–43.4% | 36.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 76.6% | 73–80% | 78.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 60.4% | 56.8–63.9% | 60.4% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 82.6% | 80.1–84.9% | 84.5% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 61.5% | 56.8–66.2% | 64% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 73.8% | 66.2–80.4% | 74.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 76% | 73.3–78.5% | 77.2% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 8.9% | 6.9–11.2% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 32.2% | 27.4–37.5% | 31.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 20% | 16.8–23.6% | 20.1% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18.9% | 16.7–21.2% | 17.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 20.9% | 17.7–24.1% | 20.5% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 15% | 13.1–17% | 14.2% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 13% | 10.5–16% | 13.7% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 11.4% | 9.4–13.5% | 12.1% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 8.2% | 6.9–9.6% | 9% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8.1% | 6.8–9.6% | 8.4% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 10.1% | 8–12.5% | 10.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.7% | 33.1–42.6% | 36.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 16.1% | 13.7–18.5% | 15.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 18.7% | 16.2–21.4% | 17.2% | |
| Hearing | 8.7% | 7.7–9.8% | 8.3% | |
| Vision | 5% | 4.3–5.7% | 5.1% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.8% | 3.3–4.4% | 3.9% | |
| Errands alone | 9.7% | 8.4–11.1% | 9.2% | |
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 Lawson door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Lawson better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Lawson directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri 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.