Photo: LeeAnne Adams · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, La Crosse is healthier than 65%
La Crosse differs from Kansas on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Crosse. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Crosse
Heart disease, stroke and COPD run high in La Crosse
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6.4% across Kansas. 1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.5%), vs 3.2% across Kansas. COPD is also above the state: 9.4%, vs 6.7% across Kansas. In all, La Crosse runs above Kansas on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%), and heart disease, stroke and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in La Crosse, and more people treating it
40.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Kansas 34.4%), but 82.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
La Crosse is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, La Crosse is healthier than 35%. Against the 7,030 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 65%. Health Grade ↓
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 La Crosse’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind La Crosse’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Crosse is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 69% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). La Crosse’s median household income is $53,750; among the 7,030 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where La Crosse compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.2% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 La Crosse adults…
La Crosse runs above KS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
La Crosse 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 La Crosse as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of La Crosse adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near La Crosse
1 hospital in La Crosse, 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 La Crosse; ≈ 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 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How La Crosse adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
3 in 10 La Crosse 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.
7.7% of La Crosse adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
La Crosse and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse | C | 38.5% | 13.6% | 16% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Crosse adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Crosse
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Crosse is better than Kansas on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside La Crosse’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Crosse | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%17.1–24.8 | 18% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%12.6–17.3 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%13.7–18.1 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%30.5–46.8 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%11.6–15.8 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.7%36.2–45 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%34.8–43.8 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.5%29.8–37.2 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.7–10.3 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%7.6–11.4 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%3.8–5.1 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%10.7–16.2 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%12.7–19.4 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.3%25.6–37 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.5–16.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%25.7–39 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%6.8–11.8 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.3–82.1 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.4%59.7–66.9 | 64.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.1–88.3 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.2%79.7–84.6 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.6%58.2–68.8 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%64.4–80.2 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%17.8–24.6 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%24.7–34.9 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.1%16.5–24 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.4%9.7–15.5 | 13% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10%8–12.1 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%5.6–8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.7%5.8–9.8 | 7.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.9%30.6–41 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.1%15–21.5 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%12.6–17.4 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.5%9.1–11.8 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.5–6.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%7.5–10.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.6–5.2 | 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 La Crosse
Is La Crosse a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Crosse is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in La Crosse?
CDC estimates 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 46.8%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Crosse?
Hays Medical Center in Hays, 24.0 miles in a straight line from La Crosse’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Crosse have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–11.8%), 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 La Crosse 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 La Crosse.
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.