Photo: Mark Michalovic · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, St. George is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
St. George differs from Kansas on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. George. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. George
Binge drinking is the habit St. George doesn’t win on
21% of adults binge drink, vs 16.3% across Kansas, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in St. George
St. George runs below Kansas on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (3.7% vs 6.4%), stroke (1.9% vs 3.2%) and diabetes (6.9% vs 11.4%). A young population is part of it: only 5% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%). Conditions ↓
St. George is an active town
Only 20.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across Kansas. Habits ↓
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. George’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind St. George’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. George is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every town); the weakest is obesity, still better than 53%.
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. George’s median household income is $100,956; among the 8,449 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$126K), it’s healthier than 79%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 St. George adults…
St. George runs below KS on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 5% of St. George residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near St. George
No hospital or community health center in St. George 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 St. George; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of St. George adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
How St. George adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 St. George 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% of St. George adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
St. George and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. George | A− | 35.8% | 6.9% | 12.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. George adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. George
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. George is better than Kansas on 16 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside St. George’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. George | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.3%10.1–15 | 18% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.7%8.3–11.4 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.3–19.6 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.8%29.3–43.3 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 6.9%5.9–8.1 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.8%22.4–29.4 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.3%25.7–33.3 | 36.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.3%15.8–20.9 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.2%3.4–5 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.9%1.7–2.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5%4–6.2 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.8%9.7–16.4 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.3%16.1–25 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21%17.4–25.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.4%30.5–42.3 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%5.6–9.7 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.6%67.2–75.9 | 76.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.2%65.9–72.4 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%79.7–85.4 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.8%64.9–72.5 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.4%53.4–63.2 | 63.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.5%66.8–81.1 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18.1–25 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.9%26–35.9 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20%16.6–23.7 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%7–11.8 | 13% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.7%7.6–12 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%5.8–8.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%4.7–7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5%3.5–6.7 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%19.5–28.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8%6.5–9.5 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11–15.9 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.8%4.2–5.6 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.6–3.5 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%4.9–7.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%1.9–2.7 | 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 St. George
Is St. George a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. George is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 79%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. George?
CDC estimates 35.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 43.3%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. George?
Wamego Health Center in Wamego, 5.4 miles in a straight line from St. George’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in St. George have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–9.7%), 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 St. George 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 St. George.
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.