Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0Where Kensington residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Kensington, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kensington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kensington
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Kensington
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 8.1% across Kansas. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 6.4% across Kansas. Arthritis is also above the state: 33%, vs 25.5% across Kansas. In all, Kensington runs above Kansas on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Kensington, and more people treating it
39.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Kansas 34.4%), but 83.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Kensington keeps up with checkups
It beats Kansas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (80.2% vs 76.6%) and cholesterol checks (88.2% vs 84.1%). 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 Kensington’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Kensington adults…
Kensington runs above KS on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Kensington is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Kensington as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Kensington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near Kensington
No hospital or community health center in Kensington 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 Kensington; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Kensington adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
3 in 10 Kensington 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.
5.6% of Kensington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Kensington 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 Kensington adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Kensington
Why doesn’t Kensington have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Kensington.
What hospital is closest to Kensington?
Smith County Memorial Hospital in Smith Center, 13.9 miles in a straight line from Kensington’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 Kensington.
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.