Photo: Chris Flook · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Topeka is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Topeka differs from Indiana on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Topeka. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Topeka
More Topeka adults lack emotional support
3 in 10 adults lack social or emotional support (29.9%), vs 23.2% across Indiana. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 22.2%, vs 17.6% across Indiana. Mind & connection ↓
Dental care lags in Topeka
53.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.2% across Indiana. Among those 65 and older, 27.5% have lost all their teeth (Indiana 15.4%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Topeka
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (22.8%), vs 15.7% across Indiana. Habits ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Indiana figure falls outside Topeka’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Topeka’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Topeka is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 52% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Topeka’s median household income is $62,875; among the 9,576 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 13%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Topeka compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
How Topeka adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Topeka runs above Indiana.
2 in 5 Topeka adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Keeping up with care
Share of Topeka adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Topeka adults…
Topeka runs below IN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Topeka residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Topeka
No hospital or community health center in Topeka itself. These are the nearest.
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 Topeka; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.1% of Topeka adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Topeka and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka | D | 39.5% | 11.9% | 22.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Topeka adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Topeka
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Topeka is better than Indiana on 1 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Topeka’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Topeka | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.4%23.2–31.6 | 20.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%14.9–19.8 | 13.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.2%19.6–25 | 17.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.5%31.6–47.8 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.2–13.6 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%30.1–38.1 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%33.3–41.8 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27%23.8–30.2 | 28.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.8%11.3–14.5 | 11.2% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.2–7.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%5.9–7.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.6%9–12.3 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 27.5%22.9–32.3 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.8%19–26.4 | 15.7% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.8%26.4–37.4 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.3–20.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.3%28.7–42.3 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.8%12–17.6 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.6%69.4–77.5 | 79.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.1%49.3–56.9 | 61.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.6%75.7–81.7 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.8%69.6–75.7 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.7%58.3–68.7 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.6%62.7–79.1 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.2%25.1–33.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 40.6%34.9–46.2 | 32.8% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.9%25.5–34.3 | 23.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.5%16.8–24 | 14.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.4%12–16.9 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.8%8.4–11.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%8.9–13.2 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.5%34–45 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.3–19.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.3%19.2–25.4 | 15% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.6–12.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Indiana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Topeka
Is Topeka a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Topeka is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 13%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Topeka?
CDC estimates 39.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 47.8%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Topeka?
Parkview Lagrange Hospital in Lagrange, 9.6 miles in a straight line from Topeka’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Topeka have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12–17.6%), against 8.9% across Indiana.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Topeka more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Topeka.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Indiana 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.