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–Not graded
Health in Bala · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Bala residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Bala, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 66531. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Bala

Fewer Bala adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Kansas. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Obesity and diabetes are less common in Bala

Bala runs below Kansas on obesity (27.8% vs 36.5%) and diabetes (9.5% vs 11.4%). Conditions ↓

Bala is an active town

Only 21.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across Kansas. 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 Kansas figure falls outside Bala’s likely range; Bala’s figures come from ZIP code 66531, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · 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 12
Bala adults worry about having enough food
8.4% · KS 13%
Better than KS
1 in 12
Bala adults worry about keeping their housing
8.4% · KS 11.2%
Better than KS
1 in 16
Bala adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.3% · KS 8.2%
Better than KS
1 in 19
Bala adults lack reliable transportation
5.3% · KS 7.1%
Better than KS

4.7% of Bala adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Bala adults…

Bala runs below KS on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

28 of every 100 Bala adults have obesity
Kansas: 37 in 100 · better · likely 23.1–33.1%
Better than KSWorseAbout the sameKansas
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas

Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.

Get no exercise 21.2%KS 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 32.4%KS 34.3%
Binge drink 17.9%KS 16.3%
Smoke cigarettes 12.5%KS 14%
0%10%20%30%40%
Bala, betterBala, worseAbout the sameKansas
Where Bala gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Getting care

Care in and near Bala

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

HNearest ERClay County Medical CenterClay Center · 10.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyClay County Medical Center★★★★★ · 10.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careKonza Prairie Community Health CenterJunction City · 19.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10.8 mi
Clay County Medical Center
Clay Center · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
18.6 mi
Irwin Ach (Ft Riley)
Fort Riley · not rated
ER
19.8 mi
Konza Prairie Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Junction City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
20.3 mi
Ascension Via Christi Hospital Manhattan
Manhattan · ★★★★★
ER
20.3 mi
Manhattan Surgical Hospital
Manhattan · not rated
48.3 mi
Salina Health Education Foundation
2 sites · nearest in Salina
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Bala itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Bala itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Bala itself

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 Bala; ≈ 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

77%Yearly checkupKS 77%
72%Dentist visitKS 65%
86%Cholesterol checkKS 84%
67%Colon screeningKS 64%
77%MammogramKS 75%
79%Taking BP medsKS 78%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Bala 6.7% · Kansas 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Bala adults are doing

About the same as Kansas on each measure.

3 in 10Bala adults feel lonely
29.6% · KS 30.9% · About the same as KS
1 in 5Bala adults lack social or emotional support
18.6% · KS 21.1% · About the same as KS
1 in 5Bala adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.4% · KS 20.8% · About the same as KS
1 in 7Bala adults are in frequent mental distress
15% · KS 16% · About the same as KS
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Bala 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.

Around town

Bala and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

27.3%

of Bala adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12%
Thinking or memory12.5%
Hearing7.1%
Errands alone6.5%
Vision3.6%
Dressing or bathing2.9%
Kansas

Questions about health in Bala

Why doesn’t Bala have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Bala.

What hospital is closest to Bala?

Clay County Medical Center in Clay Center, 10.8 miles in a straight line from Bala’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

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

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Kansas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. 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.