Loomis Historic District · Photo: Dlong417 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Merriam is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Merriam beats Kansas on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Merriam. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Merriam
What’s behind Merriam’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Merriam is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #29 of 150 in Kansas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 89% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 67%.
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). Merriam’s median household income is $73,600; among the 10,798 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Merriam adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Out of every 100 Merriam adults…
Merriam runs below KS on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Merriam
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Merriam, 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 Merriam; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
2.4 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
How Merriam adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Merriam does better than Kansas.
3 in 10 Merriam 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.
5.7% of Merriam adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Merriam and the towns around it
Merriam’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merriam | A− | 33.8% | 10.6% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Overland Park | A+ | 30% | 9.2% | 9% | CDC place |
| Shawnee | A | 32.4% | 9.7% | 10.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Merriam adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Merriam
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Merriam is better than Kansas on 12 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Merriam’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Merriam | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15%13.2–16.7 | 18% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.8–12.3 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.3–16.5 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.8%30.5–37.2 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.4–11.9 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%31.3–36.1 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.7%35.2–40.3 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.1%22.1–26.1 | 25.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%9–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.5–8.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.5–12.3 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%10.5–13.8 | 14% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.7%20–25.4 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%15.3–19.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%29.8–36.1 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%7–9.5 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.4%76.1–80.7 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.6%65–70.2 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.7–87.8 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%74.3–78.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.8%64.4–71 | 63.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%70.1–80.2 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%17.7–22.1 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.3%26.4–32.1 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.1%15.9–20.3 | 21.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 13% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.3–8.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%5.4–6.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.7%4.7–6.6 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%25.5–30.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10.3–13.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11.8–14.8 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Merriam
Is Merriam a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Merriam is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #29 of 150 in Kansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Merriam?
CDC estimates 33.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 37.2%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Merriam?
Adventhealth Shawnee Mission in Shawnee Mission, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Merriam’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Merriam have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–9.5%), 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 Merriam more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Merriam.
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.