Photo: Spacini · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Marion is healthier than 90%
Marion differs from Kansas on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Marion. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Marion
Marion is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Marion is healthier than 63%. Against the 8,479 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 90%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Marion
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.1% across Kansas. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.9%), vs 6.4% across Kansas. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.7%, vs 25.5% across Kansas. In all, Marion runs above Kansas on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Marion is short on primary care and mental health care
Marion’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fewer Marion adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Kansas. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Marion’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Marion’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marion is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 84% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). Marion’s median household income is $58,387; among the 8,479 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Marion adults…
Marion runs above KS on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Marion is an older town: 28% 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 Marion as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Marion
1 hospital in Marion, 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 Marion; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.5% of Marion adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
0.5 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Marion adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
How Marion adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
3 in 10 Marion 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.
Marion and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | B | 38% | 11.8% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Marion adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Marion
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Marion is better than Kansas on 8 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Marion’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Marion | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17%14.2–20.4 | 18% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11–15.1 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.6–17 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%30.2–46.2 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10–13.9 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38%33.8–42.4 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%34.4–43.5 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.7%27.1–34.5 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.8–12.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.8–9.1 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.3–9.3 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.2–16.5 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.3–16.4 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.4%21.7–32 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.9–17.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29%23.4–34.9 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.4–8.9 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%74.9–81.8 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.6%66.3–72.6 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.7–88.9 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.2%79.5–84.6 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%62–72.1 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%68.1–82.3 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.2–24 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.8%23–32.7 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.3%15–21.9 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.4%7.2–12.1 | 13% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.3–9.9 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.1–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.6–6.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.5%4–7.3 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.1%26.6–36.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%12.5–18.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%11–15.4 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.1–10.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.7–5.2 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.5–9.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4.3 | 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 Marion
Is Marion a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marion is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns: ≈ B 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 Marion?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 46.2%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Marion?
St. Luke Hospital & Living Center in Marion, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Marion’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Marion have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–8.9%), 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 Marion 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 Marion.
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.