Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Blue Township is healthier than 37%
Blue Township differs from Kansas on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 66502, 66535, 66520. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Blue Township
Mental distress runs high in Blue Township
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.8%), vs 16% across Kansas. Depression is above the state too: 24.2%, vs 20.8% across Kansas. Mind & connection ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Blue Township’s lead shrinks
Blue Township is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, but 37% of the 5,968 towns with similar household incomes ($89K–$148K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Blue Township
1 in 10 adults lack reliable transportation (10.3%), vs 7.1% across Kansas. Food insecurity (16.2% vs 13%) and utility shut-off threats (10.4% vs 8.2%) are higher too. 10.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.4% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Blue Township
Blue Township runs below Kansas on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.3% vs 8.1%), diabetes (7.9% vs 11.4%) and arthritis (18.5% vs 25.5%). A young population is part of it: only 10% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Blue Township’s likely range; Blue Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 66502, 66535, 66520, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Blue Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blue Township is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #54 of 150 in Kansas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Blue Township’s median household income is $118,385; among the 5,968 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($89K–$148K), it’s healthier than 37%, less than its income alone would suggest.
How Blue Township adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Blue Township runs above Kansas.
1 in 3 Blue Township 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.
10.5% of Blue Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Out of every 100 Blue Township adults…
Blue Township runs below KS on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Blue Township residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Blue Township
No hospital or community health center in Blue Township 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 Blue Township; ≈ 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.
11 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Blue Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Blue Township and the towns around it
Blue Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Township | B+ | 29.6% | 7.9% | 13.6% | ZIP codes |
| Manhattan Township | B+ | 28.4% | 7.8% | 13% | ZIP codes |
| Grant Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Manhattan | A− | 27.1% | 7.1% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Zeandale Township | — | — | — | — | |
| St. George Township | A− | 35.6% | 9.1% | 13% | ZIP codes |
| Green Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Pottawatomie Township | — | — | — | — |
Grant Township, Zeandale Township, Green Township and Pottawatomie Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Blue Township adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Blue Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Blue Township is better than Kansas on 9 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Blue Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Blue Township | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.3%15.3–19.5 | 18% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.4–12.9 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.8–21.9 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%25–34.8 | 36.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.9%7–9 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.4%22.7–28.3 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 27.6%24.8–30.5 | 36.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.5%16.6–20.5 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.8%5.1–6.4 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.2%12–16.8 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.6%11.8–15.5 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.3%21–27.8 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.1%16.3–22.1 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%31.4–40.7 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%8.6–11.4 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.6%68.2–75.1 | 76.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%56.1–62.4 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 74.2%71.7–76.7 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.6%66.3–70.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.8%57.6–65.9 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.3%66.9–79 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%21.2–27.3 | 20.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35%30.8–39.1 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%18–23.7 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.2%13.9–18.6 | 13% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.1%11.4–15 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.5%9–12.3 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.6%28.2–35.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.7%9.4–12 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%16.4–20.3 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.6–5.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.4–10.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%3–3.5 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Blue Township
Is Blue Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blue Township is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #54 of 150 in Kansas. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Blue Township?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25% and 34.8%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Blue Township?
Ascension Via Christi Hospital Manhattan in Manhattan, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Blue Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Blue Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–11.4%), 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 Blue Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Blue Township.
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.