Karnes Stone Barn · Photo: SharonPapierdreams · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Elk Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Elk Township differs from Kansas on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 66524, 66414, 66409. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elk Township
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Elk Township
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.1% across Kansas. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.2%), vs 25.5% across Kansas. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.9%, vs 6.4% across Kansas. In all, Elk Township runs above Kansas on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Elk Township, and more people treating it
39.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Kansas 34.4%), but 81.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Elk Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Kansas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (79.7% vs 76.6%) and dentist visits (67.8% vs 64.9%). 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 Elk Township’s likely range; Elk Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 66524, 66414, 66409, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Elk Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elk Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 81% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 31%).
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). Elk Township’s median household income is $76,845; among the 10,822 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$96K), it’s healthier than 63%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Elk Township adults…
Elk Township runs above KS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Elk Township is an older town: 27% 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 Elk Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Elk Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near Elk Township
No hospital or community health center in Elk 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 Elk 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.
2.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Elk Township adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
3 in 10 Elk 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.
5.6% of Elk Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Elk Township and the towns around it
Elk Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Township | B | 38.6% | 12.1% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Marion Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Junction Township | B− | 40.9% | 12.6% | 15.8% | ZIP codes |
| Monmouth Township | A− | 35% | 11.3% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
| Ridgeway Township | B− | 41.1% | 12% | 16.1% | ZIP codes |
| Fairfax Township | — | — | — | — |
Marion Township and Fairfax 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 Elk Township adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elk Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elk Township is better than Kansas on 9 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Elk Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elk Township | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.1%15.9–20.6 | 18% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.7–14.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.5–16.7 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.6%32.5–44.6 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.6–13.7 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.2%35.5–42.8 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.7%36.9–44.4 | 36.7% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.2%29.1–35.3 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%9–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10.1–12 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%7–9 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.9%10.8–15.3 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.4–16.6 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%22.3–30 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.9–17.5 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%25.3–34.6 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.1–8.7 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.9–82.3 | 76.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.8%65–70.7 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%86–88.9 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.7%79.4–83.8 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.8–70.9 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.9%67.7–79.6 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%18–23.6 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.8%24.1–31.8 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%17.2–22.8 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.4–11.7 | 13% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.6%4.6–6.8 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%29.9–37.4 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.8–17.7 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4–4.9 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.2–4 | 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 Elk Township
Is Elk Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elk Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 63%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elk Township?
CDC estimates 38.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 44.6%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elk Township?
Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, 18.8 miles in a straight line from Elk Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elk Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.7%), 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 Elk Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elk 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.