Where Plains residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Plains, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Plains. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Plains
Making ends meet is harder in Plains
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.7%), vs 13% across Kansas. Housing insecurity (15.3% vs 11.2%) and no reliable transportation (8.9% vs 7.1%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Many Plains adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 6 working-age adults has no health insurance (17%, vs 9.9% across Kansas). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 21.5%, is about level with the state’s 18%. Checkups ↓
More Plains adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.5%), vs 25.6% across Kansas. Habits ↓
Plains is short on primary care and mental health care
Plains’ 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 ↓
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 Plains’ likely range.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.4% of Plains adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Plains adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
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.
Care in and near Plains
No hospital or community health center in Plains 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 Plains; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Plains adults…
Plains runs below KS on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Plains residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
How Plains adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Plains 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.
Plains 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 Plains adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Questions about health in Plains
Why doesn’t Plains have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Plains.
What hospital is closest to Plains?
Meade District Hospital in Meade, 14.1 miles in a straight line from Plains’ 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 Plains.
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.