Where Howard residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Howard, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Howard. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Howard
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Howard
1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.8%), vs 6.7% across Kansas. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (10.9%), vs 6.4% across Kansas. Stroke is also above the state: 5.4%, vs 3.2% across Kansas. In all, Howard runs above Kansas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Howard adults get no exercise
36.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across Kansas. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Howard
58.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.9% across Kansas. Among those 65 and older, 24.5% have lost all their teeth (Kansas 11.3%). 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 Howard’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Howard adults…
Howard runs above KS on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Howard is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Howard as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Howard adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near Howard
No hospital or community health center in Howard 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 Howard; ≈ 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 Howard adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
3 in 10 Howard 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.
9.7% of Howard adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Howard and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Howard adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Howard
Why doesn’t Howard have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Howard.
What hospital is closest to Howard?
Sedan City Hospital in Sedan, 23.6 miles in a straight line from Howard’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Howard.
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. 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.