Photo: Kaethesson · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Parsons is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns
Parsons trails Kansas on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Parsons. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Parsons
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Parsons
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.1%), vs 6.7% across Kansas. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.2%), vs 3.2% across Kansas. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.9%, vs 6.4% across Kansas. In all, Parsons runs above Kansas on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Parsons
57.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.9% across Kansas. Among those 65 and older, 15.3% have lost all their teeth (Kansas 11.3%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Parsons
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.1%), vs 13% across Kansas. No reliable transportation (9.1% vs 7.1%) and utility shut-off threats (10.5% vs 8.2%) are higher too. 11.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.4% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Parsons is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Parsons is healthier than 21%. Against the 6,607 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$66K), it’s healthier than 46%. 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 Parsons’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Parsons’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Parsons is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns, #137 of 150 in Kansas. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 38% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Parsons’ median household income is $52,428; among the 6,607 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$66K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Parsons adults…
Parsons runs above KS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Parsons adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.2% of Parsons adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Care in and near Parsons
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Parsons, 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 Parsons; ≈ 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.
8 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
How Parsons adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
3 in 10 Parsons 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.
Parsons and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsons | C− | 41.8% | 13.3% | 17.8% | CDC place |
| North Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Osage Township | — | — | — | — |
North Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Osage Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Parsons adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Parsons
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Parsons is better than Kansas on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Parsons’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Parsons | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.3%19.4–25.2 | 18% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13–16.7 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.8–20 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.8%34.5–49.7 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.5–15.1 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%35.4–43.8 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.7%33.5–42.2 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%27.1–33.8 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.8–9.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%8–10.3 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.3%12.5–18.4 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.8%15.3–20.3 | 14% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.4%27.7–37.4 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.2–17.9 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.6%31.6–43.8 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%9–12.7 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.6%72.9–80.1 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.4%53.7–60.9 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.9–84.9 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.8–80.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.1%57.9–68 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.6%61–77 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18.1–24.9 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.2%25.6–34.8 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%18.8–25.2 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.1%14.7–19.6 | 13% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.3%11.5–15.2 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.5%9.1–12 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%8–10.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.2%9.5–12.9 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.7%31.2–40.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.4%15.1–19.6 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.2–19.2 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.9–9.9 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.4–6.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%8.8–11.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 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 Parsons
Is Parsons a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Parsons is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #137 of 150 in Kansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Parsons?
CDC estimates 41.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.5% and 49.7%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Parsons?
Labette Health in Parsons, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Parsons’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Parsons have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–12.7%), 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 Parsons 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 Parsons.
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.