Cheyenne County Courthouse · Photo: Smallbones · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, St. Francis is healthier than 57%
St. Francis differs from Kansas on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Francis. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Francis
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in St. Francis
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.8%), vs 6.7% across Kansas. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.2%), vs 6.4% across Kansas. Stroke is also above the state: 5.1%, vs 3.2% across Kansas. In all, St. Francis runs above Kansas on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More St. Francis adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.2%), vs 25.6% across Kansas. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in St. Francis, and more people treating it
41.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Kansas 34.4%), but 82.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
St. Francis is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, St. Francis is healthier than 24%. Against the 5,661 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 57%. 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 St. Francis’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind St. Francis’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Francis is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 61% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). St. Francis’ median household income is $49,643; among the 5,661 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 57%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where St. Francis compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 St. Francis adults…
St. Francis runs above KS on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
St. Francis 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 St. Francis as about how healthy they are.
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.
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Francis adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Care in and near St. Francis
1 hospital in St. Francis, 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 St. Francis; ≈ 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).
How St. Francis adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 St. Francis 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.
9.8% of St. Francis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
St. Francis and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis | C− | 37.4% | 14.9% | 17.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Francis adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Francis
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Francis is better than Kansas on 2 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside St. Francis’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Francis | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.7%19.8–28.1 | 18% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%13.7–18.6 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.9 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%29.5–45.6 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.9%12.6–17.4 | 11.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.9%37.5–46.3 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.4%35.9–44.9 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.4%30.6–38.2 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.1–12.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.2%8.7–11.6 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.8%8.7–12.9 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.3–5.9 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.8%15.4–22.6 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%14.1–20.7 | 14% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.2%28.3–40.5 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%10.9–16 | 16.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%26.2–39.2 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.5%9–14.6 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.4–82 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.5%57.6–65.1 | 64.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.1%82.8–87.1 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.7%80.2–84.8 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%58.1–68.7 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.3%63.7–79.4 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18–24.7 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%27–36.8 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.2%17.7–24.7 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.1%12.1–18.3 | 13% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%9.4–13.5 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.8%7.4–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%6.7–9.5 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8%7.6–12.2 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.1%33.8–44.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.4%16.9–24 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%13.9–19.2 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%5.5–7.7 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%8.8–12.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.3–6.1 | 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 St. Francis
Is St. Francis a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Francis is healthier than 24% 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 St. Francis?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 45.6%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Francis?
Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman, 23.9 miles in a straight line from St. Francis’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in St. Francis have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–14.6%), 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 St. Francis 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 St. Francis.
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.