Photo: CommunicationsDeSoto · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, De Soto is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
De Soto beats Kansas on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for De Soto. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in De Soto
De Soto keeps up with checkups
It beats Kansas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (70.1% vs 64.9%) and cholesterol checks (86.7% vs 84.1%). Checkups ↓
Fewer De Soto adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, utility bills and getting around all run below Kansas. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 De Soto’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind De Soto’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, De Soto is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #21 of 150 in Kansas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 88% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 71%.
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). De Soto’s median household income is $104,000; among the 7,985 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 77%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of De Soto adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.8% of De Soto adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Out of every 100 De Soto adults…
On every condition, De Soto is about the same as Kansas. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of De Soto residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near De Soto
No hospital or community health center in De Soto 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 De Soto; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
2.7 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How De Soto adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, De Soto does better than Kansas.
3 in 10 De Soto 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.
De Soto and the towns around it
De Soto’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Soto | A− | 32.9% | 10.3% | 12% | CDC place |
| Lexington Township | A− | 33.4% | 9.9% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| Lenexa | A | 31.3% | 9.4% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Olathe | A | 32.8% | 9.5% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Shawnee | A | 32.4% | 9.7% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Sherman Township | B+ | 38.2% | 11.1% | 13.8% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of De Soto adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for De Soto
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, De Soto is better than Kansas on 8 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside De Soto’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | De Soto | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15%12.6–17.7 | 18% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%9.7–13 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.7–16.4 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%29.4–36.5 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%9–11.8 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%30.5–35.9 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.9–41.3 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.2%22–26.4 | 25.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%4.6–6.8 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.4–3.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.5%10.4–14.9 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12%9.7–14.8 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%19–26.1 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%15.3–19.5 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.4%28.2–34.5 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.1–10.9 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%75.8–80.6 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%67.5–72.4 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%84.7–88.6 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%74.3–79.4 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.4%63.8–70.7 | 63.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%70.9–80.9 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%17.3–21.9 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%26.1–32.2 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.1%15.7–20.7 | 21.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.7%7.7–11.9 | 13% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.7–11.2 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.4–7.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.8–6.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.8%3.7–6.2 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28%24.6–31.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%9.6–13.6 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%11.3–15.4 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.2–4.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.6–7.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.5–3.5 | 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 De Soto
Is De Soto a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, De Soto is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #21 of 150 in Kansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 77%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in De Soto?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 36.5%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to De Soto?
University of Kansas Health System Olathe Hospital in Olathe, 10.8 miles in a straight line from De Soto’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in De Soto have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10.9%), 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 De Soto 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 De Soto.
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.