Baxter Springs Independent Oil and Gas Service Station · Photo: Vanessa Ezekowitz · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Baxter Springs is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns
Baxter Springs trails Kansas on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Baxter Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Baxter Springs
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Baxter Springs
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.6%), vs 6.7% across Kansas. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 3.2% across Kansas. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.1%, vs 6.4% across Kansas. In all, Baxter Springs runs above Kansas on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Baxter Springs is in the bottom 5% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Baxter Springs is healthier than only 5% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Dental care lags in Baxter Springs
55.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.9% across Kansas. Among those 65 and older, 23.9% have lost all their teeth (Kansas 11.3%). Checkups ↓
More Baxter Springs adults live with a disability
2 in 5 adults live with a disability (42.4%, vs 30.4% across Kansas). The biggest difference is vision loss: 7.5% vs 4.6%. Disability ↓
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 Baxter Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Baxter Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baxter Springs is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 18% of U.S. towns); obesity 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). Baxter Springs’ median household income is $51,404; among the 6,274 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 10%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Baxter Springs adults…
Baxter Springs runs above KS on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Baxter Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Baxter Springs adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Care in and near Baxter Springs
1 community health center in Baxter Springs, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Baxter Springs; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Baxter Springs adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Baxter Springs runs above Kansas.
1 in 3 Baxter Springs 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.7% of Baxter Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Baxter Springs and the towns around it
Baxter Springs’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter Springs | D− | 46.3% | 14.6% | 22.9% | CDC place |
| Spring Valley Township | D | 44.5% | 13.8% | 20.3% | ZIP codes |
| Garden Township | C− | 44% | 13.4% | 19.4% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Baxter Springs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Baxter Springs is better than Kansas on 0 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Baxter Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Baxter Springs | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.1%23.2–31.2 | 18% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.3–20 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%17.6–22.6 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 46.3%38.8–54 | 36.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.6%12.5–16.6 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.3%35.3–43.4 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.3%34.2–42.4 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.8%28.5–35.2 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.1%8.1–10.3 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.6%9.9–13.5 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.9%20–28.2 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.9%19.4–26.5 | 14% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.4%29–40 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%11.9–17.5 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.1%30.8–43.6 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.6%9.1–14.5 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.4%72.7–80 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.9%52.2–59.6 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.4%77.7–82.9 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%75.9–81.1 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.4%50.9–61.7 | 63.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.8%61.9–78.5 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%20.8–28.1 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%27.6–38.2 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%19.5–27 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.4%17.5–25.7 | 13% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.7%13.1–18.6 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.1%11.1–15.1 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10–13.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.7%12.6–19.1 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.4%37.1–47.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.6%17.7–23.7 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.3%17.6–23.2 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%6.5–8.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.5%10.7–14.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.2–6.9 | 3.5% | 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 Kansas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Baxter Springs
Is Baxter Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baxter Springs is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 10%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Baxter Springs?
CDC estimates 46.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.8% and 54%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Baxter Springs?
Integris Miami Hospital in Miami, 11.8 miles in a straight line from Baxter Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Baxter Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.1–14.5%), against 9.9% across Kansas.
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 Baxter Springs 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 Baxter Springs.
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. 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.