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BHealth Grade
Health in Imperial · CDC PLACES 2025

Imperial is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns

Imperial differs from Nebraska on 8 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (81.1% vs 77.5%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (16.5% vs 12.4%).

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Imperial. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out about health in Imperial

Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska

Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.

Get no exercise 30.4%NE 24.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.1%NE 31.3%
Binge drink 18.2%NE 19.7%
Smoke cigarettes 13.6%NE 13.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Imperial, betterImperial, worseAbout the sameNebraska
Map of trails and conserved land in Imperial
Where Imperial gets moving

0.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near Imperial

1 hospital in Imperial, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERChase County Community HospitalImperial · 0.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSalud Family HealthSterling · 83.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.8 mi
Chase County Community Hospital
Imperial · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Imperial
23.5 mi
Perkins County Health Services
Grant · not rated
ERRural critical access
32.4 mi
Dundy County Hospital
Benkelman · not rated
ERRural critical access
34.6 mi
Melissa Memorial Hospital
Holyoke · not rated
ERRural critical access
83.4 mi
Salud Family Health
2 sites · nearest in Sterling
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
87.8 mi
Sheridan County Hospital
4 sites · nearest in Selden
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careImperial’s county is a federal shortage area.Chase County · need score 8 of 25
✓ Dental careImperial is not a shortage area
! Mental healthImperial’s county is a federal shortage area.Catchment Area 2 · need score 7 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 Imperial; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

Health Grade

Imperial’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Imperial is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns.

BSelf-rated health18.1% · NE 16.1%
B+Physical distress13.2% · NE 11.6%
AMental distress13.4% · NE 14.1%
B−Obesity36.9% · NE 37.7%
B−Diabetes12.4% · NE 10.7%
BSmoking13.6% smoke · NE 13.2%
C−Exercise30.4% · NE 24.3%
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 58%
Less healthyHealthier
Nebraska towns we grade (138)Healthier than 46%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $56K–$93K (9,880)Healthier than 68%

About what its income would suggest. Imperial does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Imperial 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 the Healthiest towns in Nebraska ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places): A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D and D− the bottom 15%. There’s no F.
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Imperial 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. 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.
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Imperial adults…

Imperial runs above NE on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Imperial adults have heart disease
Nebraska: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 6.9–9.2%
Better than NEWorseAbout the sameNebraska
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76% Yearly checkupNE 76%
63% Dentist visitNE 64%
85% Cholesterol checkNE 84%
59% Colon screeningNE 62%
78% MammogramNE 75%
81% Taking BP medsNE 78%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Imperial 11.9% · Nebraska 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Imperial adults are doing

About the same as Nebraska on each measure.

1 in 3Imperial adults feel lonely
29.3% · NE 29.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 5Imperial adults lack social or emotional support
20.1% · NE 20.5% · About the same as NE
1 in 6Imperial adults have been diagnosed with depression
16.5% · NE 18.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 7Imperial adults are in frequent mental distress
13.4% · NE 14.1% · About the same as NE
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Imperial adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

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
Imperial adults worry about having enough food
13.2% · NE 12.3%
About the same as NE
1 in 10
Imperial adults worry about keeping their housing
9.7% · NE 9.5%
About the same as NE
1 in 15
Imperial adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.5% · NE 6.4%
About the same as NE
1 in 14
Imperial adults lack reliable transportation
6.9% · NE 6.7%
About the same as NE

9.1% of Imperial adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

31.6%

of Imperial adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.3%
Thinking or memory12.5%
Hearing9.8%
Errands alone8%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing4%
Nebraska
All 40 CDC measures for Imperial
MeasureImperialLikely rangeNebraska
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36%31.8–40.2%32.6%about the same
High cholesterol35.8%31.7–40.3%33%about the same
Obesity36.9%29.8–44.4%37.7%about the same
Arthritis28.3%25.1–31.9%24%worse
Depression16.5%13.8–19.6%18.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)16.5%13.5–19.5%12.4%worse
Asthma9.2%8.1–10.5%9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.2%9.2–11.4%8.3%worse
Diabetes12.4%10.6–14.5%10.7%about the same
COPD7.6%6.2–9.2%6.1%worse
Heart disease7.9%6.9–9.2%6.1%worse
Stroke4%3.4–4.6%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes13.6%10.8–16.7%13.2%about the same
Binge drink18.2%15.2–21.6%19.7%about the same
Get no exercise30.4%25.1–36.3%24.3%worse
Sleep under 7 hours30.1%24.4–36.1%31.3%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.3%72.5–79.7%75.9%about the same
Dentist visit62.7%59.2–66%64.3%about the same
Cholesterol check84.8%82.6–86.9%83.7%about the same
Colon screening59%53.8–64.1%62.3%about the same
Mammogram77.6%70.3–83.7%75%about the same
Taking BP meds81.1%78.4–83.5%77.5%better
No health insurance11.9%9.5–14.8%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely29.3%24.2–34.9%29.3%about the same
Lack emotional support20.1%16.5–24.1%20.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress13.4%11.6–15.4%14.1%about the same
Fair or poor health18.1%15–21.9%16.1%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.2%11.3–15.5%11.6%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity13.2%10.3–16.2%12.3%about the same
Housing insecurity9.7%7.9–11.8%9.5%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.5%5.4–7.8%6.4%about the same
No reliable transportation6.9%5.8–8.2%6.7%about the same
Receive SNAP9.1%6.9–11.5%8.5%
Disability
Any disability31.6%27–36.8%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs15.3%12.7–18.6%12%
Thinking or memory12.5%10.5–14.8%12.1%
Hearing9.8%8.5–11.3%7.3%
Vision5.4%4.6–6.4%4.4%
Dressing or bathing4%3.4–4.7%3.2%
Errands alone8%6.7–9.6%6.9%

How CDC estimates town health

Modeled estimates

CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Imperial door to door.

Close calls stay gray

Every figure has a likely range. When the Nebraska figure falls inside it, we don’t call Imperial better or worse.

CDC’s own town estimate

CDC publishes Imperial directly, so these are its own figures.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Imperial.

Town Square →
Weigh in
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Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Nebraska figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

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