Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Gardner is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Gardner differs from Kansas on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gardner. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gardner
Binge drinking is the habit Gardner doesn’t win on
19.2% of adults binge drink, vs 16.3% across Kansas, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Gardner
Gardner runs below Kansas on six chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.4% vs 6.4%), stroke (2.3% vs 3.2%) and COPD (5.1% vs 6.7%). A young population is part of it: only 8% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Gardner’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Gardner’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gardner is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, #41 of 150 in Kansas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 92% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 55%.
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). Gardner’s median household income is $96,818; among the 9,047 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$121K), it’s healthier than 72%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
1.9 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Gardner adults…
Gardner runs below KS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Gardner residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Gardner
No hospital or community health center in Gardner 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 Gardner; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gardner adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
How Gardner adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
3 in 10 Gardner 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.
6.4% of Gardner adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Gardner and the towns around it
Gardner’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner | A− | 34.9% | 8.9% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Gardner Township | A− | 34.2% | 8.8% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| McCamish Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Spring Hill Township | A | 33% | 9.3% | 11.5% | ZIP codes |
| Olathe | A | 32.8% | 9.5% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Edgerton | A− | 34.3% | 9.1% | 14.4% | CDC place |
McCamish 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 Gardner adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gardner
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gardner is better than Kansas on 11 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Gardner’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gardner | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.7%13–16.6 | 18% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.1–18.6 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.9%31.6–38.4 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.8–10 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.8%27.5–32.2 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.2%31.8–36.7 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.6%18.8–22.5 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.3–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.2–2.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%9.2–13.3 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%12.3–16.2 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.5%19.9–25.4 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.2%17–21.6 | 16.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.9%30.7–37.2 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.6–10.4 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.8%73.3–78.3 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.5%65.8–71 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%82.2–85.7 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.1%68.3–73.8 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.5%57.9–64.9 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.3%71.1–80.9 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%19.1–23.8 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%27.7–33.7 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.4%17.1–21.8 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%9.8–13.2 | 13% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%10–13 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.3–9.5 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.8%6–7.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.4%5.4–7.5 | 7.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.3%24.7–30.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10%8.8–11.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.2–16.5 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.3–4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.6–3.1 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Gardner
Is Gardner a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gardner is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #41 of 150 in Kansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 72%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gardner?
CDC estimates 34.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 38.4%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gardner?
University of Kansas Health System Olathe Hospital in Olathe, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Gardner’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gardner have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–10.4%), 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 Gardner more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gardner.
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.