Downs Missouri Pacific Depot · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Where Downs residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Downs, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Downs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Downs
Heart disease, stroke and cancer run high in Downs
1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.5%), vs 6.4% across Kansas. 1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (5%), vs 3.2% across Kansas. Cancer is also above the state: 12.6%, vs 8.1% across Kansas. In all, Downs runs above Kansas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%), and heart disease, stroke and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Downs, and more people treating it
43.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Kansas 34.4%), but 85.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Downs’ likely range.
Out of every 100 Downs adults…
Downs runs above KS on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Downs is an older town: 36% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Downs as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Downs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near Downs
No hospital or community health center in Downs 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 Downs; ≈ 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 Downs adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 4 Downs 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.
7% of Downs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Downs and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Downs adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Downs
Why doesn’t Downs have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Downs.
What hospital is closest to Downs?
Osborne County Memorial Hospital in Osborne, 8.8 miles in a straight line from Downs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Downs.
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.