Williams' Store · Photo: AbeEzekowitz · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Garden Township is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Garden Township trails Kansas on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 66739, 66713, 66770. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Garden Township
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Garden Township
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.8%), vs 6.7% across Kansas. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.3%), vs 3.2% across Kansas. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.5%, vs 6.4% across Kansas. In all, Garden Township runs above Kansas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Garden Township
58.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.9% across Kansas. Among those 65 and older, 19.6% have lost all their teeth (Kansas 11.3%). Checkups ↓
In Garden Township, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 9.5% of working-age adults are uninsured (Kansas 9.9%), yet 22.9% say their health is fair or poor, vs 18% across the state. 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 Garden Township’s likely range; Garden Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 66739, 66713, 66770, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Garden Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garden Township is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #145 of 150 in Kansas. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 33% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Garden Township’s median household income is $86,074; among the 10,310 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$108K), it’s healthier than 5%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Garden Township adults…
Garden Township runs above KS on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Garden Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near Garden Township
No hospital or community health center in Garden 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 Garden 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.
0.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Garden Township adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Garden 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.
10.8% of Garden Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Garden Township and the towns around it
Garden Township has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Township | C− | 44% | 13.4% | 19.4% | ZIP codes |
| Galena | C− | 44.3% | 13.4% | 19.4% | CDC place |
| Spring Valley Township | D | 44.5% | 13.8% | 20.3% | ZIP codes |
| Baxter Springs | D− | 46.3% | 14.6% | 22.9% | CDC place |
| Lowell Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Riverton | — | — | — | — |
Lowell Township and Riverton: 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 Garden Township adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Garden Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Garden Township is better than Kansas on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Garden Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Garden Township | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.9%19.9–26.1 | 18% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.7–17.7 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16–20.1 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44%36.6–51.6 | 36.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.4%11.6–15.3 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.5%34.5–42.7 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%34.6–42.9 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%28.2–35 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.3–10.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.5–9.4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.8%8.5–11.2 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.8–4.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.6%16.2–23.5 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.4%16.5–22.4 | 14% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%26–35.4 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.1–17.7 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.5%30.2–43 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%7.9–11.5 | 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 | 58.7%54.9–62.3 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.7%81.6–85.7 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%77.1–82.3 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.3%54.8–65.5 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%63.3–79.3 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.8%19.5–26.5 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%26.4–36.2 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%18.5–25.3 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16%13.4–18.9 | 13% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.4%10.5–14.6 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10%8.6–11.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%7.8–10.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%8.8–12.9 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.1%33.5–42.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%15.7–20.4 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.1–19.5 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.7%8.6–10.8 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.3–5.4 | 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 Garden Township
Is Garden Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garden Township is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #145 of 150 in Kansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 5%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Garden Township?
CDC estimates 44% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.6% and 51.6%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Garden Township?
Freeman Health System - Freeman West in Joplin, 8.9 miles in a straight line from Garden Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Garden Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–11.5%), 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 Garden Township 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 Garden 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.