Photo: Paltron · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Scott is healthier than 66%
Fort Scott trails Kansas on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Scott. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Scott
Dental care lags in Fort Scott
57.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.9% across Kansas. Among those 65 and older, 21.9% have lost all their teeth (Kansas 11.3%). Checkups ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Fort Scott
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.9%), vs 6.7% across Kansas. 1 in 25 adults have had a stroke (4%), vs 3.2% across Kansas. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.8%, vs 6.4% across Kansas. In all, Fort Scott runs above Kansas on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Fort Scott adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.2%), vs 25.6% across Kansas. Habits ↓
Fort Scott is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Scott is healthier than 33%. Against the 6,518 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 66%. 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 Fort Scott’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Fort Scott’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Scott is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns, #119 of 150 in Kansas. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 45% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Fort Scott’s median household income is $52,159; among the 6,518 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 66%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Scott adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Out of every 100 Fort Scott adults…
Fort Scott runs above KS on 6 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.
6.6 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Care in and near Fort Scott
1 community health center in Fort Scott, 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 Fort Scott; ≈ 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 Fort Scott adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Fort Scott 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.
9.9% of Fort Scott adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Fort Scott and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Scott | C | 36.8% | 12.5% | 16.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Scott adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Scott
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Scott is better than Kansas on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Fort Scott’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Scott | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.2%18.4–24.2 | 18% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.8–16.5 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.7–20 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.8%29.6–44.2 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.8–14.2 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%33.9–41.8 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%33.7–42.2 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%27.2–33.6 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.8–10.2 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.6–4.4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.9%18.2–26 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.4–19.5 | 14% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%26.5–36.2 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.7–18.4 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.7%33.2–46.5 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.6–10.8 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%74.1–81.1 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.6%53.8–61.3 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.5%80.3–84.5 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.3%76.8–81.5 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60%54.5–65.2 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%64.1–79.8 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%18.9–25.6 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%26.6–36.6 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18.3–24.9 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15%12.7–17.6 | 13% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%10.2–13.8 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.5%8.3–10.9 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.9%8.3–11.8 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.8%31.4–40.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17%14.8–19.3 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.7–18.9 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%8–10 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5–6.2 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.6–11 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 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 Fort Scott
Is Fort Scott a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Scott is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #119 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 Fort Scott?
CDC estimates 36.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 44.2%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Scott?
Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada, 18.8 miles in a straight line from Fort Scott’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Fort Scott have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–10.8%), 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 Fort Scott 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 Fort Scott.
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.