Photo: Spacini at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Elkhart is healthier than 51%
Elkhart differs from Kansas on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elkhart. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elkhart
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Elkhart
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.8%), vs 6.7% across Kansas. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 6.4% across Kansas. Stroke is also above the state: 4.1%, vs 3.2% across Kansas. In all, Elkhart runs above Kansas on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Elkhart adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.5%), vs 25.6% across Kansas. Habits ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Elkhart has no health insurance
13.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Kansas. Checkups ↓
Elkhart is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Elkhart is healthier than 29%. Against the 7,949 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 51%. Health Grade ↓
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 Elkhart’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Elkhart’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkhart is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 61% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Elkhart’s median household income is $56,771; among the 7,949 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 51%, about where its income would put it.
Where Elkhart compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Elkhart adults…
Elkhart runs above KS on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Elkhart adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near Elkhart
1 hospital in Elkhart, 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 Elkhart; ≈ 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).
How Elkhart adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Elkhart 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.
9.3% of Elkhart adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Elkhart and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart | C | 37.8% | 13.8% | 16.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elkhart adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elkhart
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elkhart is better than Kansas on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Elkhart’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elkhart | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%19.1–26.7 | 18% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%12.9–17.3 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.7 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.8%29.5–46.8 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%11.8–16 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%33.3–42.3 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%34.7–43.7 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%26.8–34 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.1–10.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.1–9.4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.3–10.4 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.5–15.8 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.8%13.8–20 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.5%26.8–38.5 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.6–17.1 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.3%28.6–42.2 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.7%11.2–16.4 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.4–80.7 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.4%57.6–64.9 | 64.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%81.9–86.2 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.5%77.7–83 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.1%54.4–65.3 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%64.1–80 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.2%17–23.8 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%26.2–36.6 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.4–26.8 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.4%13.4–19.5 | 13% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13%11–15.3 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.7–10.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7–9.5 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.3%7.4–11.4 | 7.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.1%30.9–41.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.8%15–20.7 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%13.9–18.8 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.4–10.8 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.2–6.9 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8–11 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.9–5.3 | 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 Elkhart
Is Elkhart a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkhart is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elkhart?
CDC estimates 37.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 46.8%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elkhart?
Morton County Hospital in Elkhart, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Elkhart’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Elkhart have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.2–16.4%), 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 Elkhart more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elkhart.
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.