Drees House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Hays is healthier than 93%
Hays differs from Kansas on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hays. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hays
Hays is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Hays is healthier than 69%. Against the 8,510 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 93%. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Hays
Hays runs below Kansas on diabetes (8.7% vs 11.4%), heart disease (5.4% vs 6.4%) and stroke (2.7% vs 3.2%). 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 Hays’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Hays’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hays is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns, #56 of 150 in Kansas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 93% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). Hays’ median household income is $58,459; among the 8,510 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Hays adults…
Hays runs below KS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Hays
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Hays, 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 Hays; ≈ 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.
6.1 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Hays adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
How Hays adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Hays runs above Kansas.
1 in 3 Hays 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.
8.4% of Hays adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Hays and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hays | B+ | 36.2% | 8.7% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Big Creek Township | B+ | 36.6% | 9.3% | 13.2% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hays adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hays
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hays is better than Kansas on 7 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Hays’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hays | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%14.6–19.2 | 18% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.3–13.1 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.3–20.5 | 16% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.2%30.7–41.7 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.7%7.6–10 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.8%26.6–33 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.8%28.5–35.2 | 36.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.5%20.2–25 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–6 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.1%5.4–7 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.7–14.1 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%11–14.9 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.4%20–27.3 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.2%16.3–22.4 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.9%29.7–40.3 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%7.8–11 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.5%72–78.7 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.5%61.2–67.9 | 64.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.5%76.2–80.9 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.2%71.8–76.4 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.9%62.1–71.5 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.3%66.9–80.9 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.6%18.7–24.9 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%27.9–36.4 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.3–23.2 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.7%11.5–16 | 13% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.3–12.6 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.4–9.9 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.4–9.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.4%6.9–10 | 7.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.3%25.6–33.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.4%9.9–13 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%14.6–18.8 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 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 Hays
Is Hays a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hays is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #56 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 Hays?
CDC estimates 36.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.7% and 41.7%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hays?
Hays Medical Center in Hays, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Hays’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hays have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11%), 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 Hays 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 Hays.
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.