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Syracuse, KansasPhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
≈ B−Health Grade
Health in Syracuse · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Syracuse is healthier than 68%

Syracuse differs from Kansas on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 5 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Syracuse. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Syracuse

Many Syracuse adults are uninsured, but health holds up

1 in 5 working-age adults has no health insurance (18.2%, vs 9.9% across Kansas). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 20.1%, is about level with the state’s 18%. Checkups ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Syracuse

1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.9%), vs 13% across Kansas. Housing insecurity (15.2% vs 11.2%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓

Syracuse is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Syracuse is healthier than 52%. Against the 10,254 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 68%. 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 Syracuse’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Syracuse’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Syracuse is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 72% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 20%).

B−Self-rated health20.1% · KS 18% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress12.7% · KS 12.3% · U.S. 13%
B+Mental distress16.1% · KS 16% · U.S. 15.9%
C−Obesity40.1% · KS 36.5% · U.S. 32.9%
B+Diabetes10.7% · KS 11.4% · U.S. 12%
BSmoking14% smoke · KS 14% · U.S. 11.8%
C−Exercise29.8% · KS 25.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 52%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $51K–$84K (10,254)Healthier than 68%

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). Syracuse’s median household income is $67,361; among the 10,254 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 68%, more than its income alone would suggest.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Syracuse could be anywhere from C− to A−. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Syracuse adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.

73%Yearly checkupKS 77%
60%Dentist visitKS 65%
82%Cholesterol checkKS 84%
61%Colon screeningKS 64%
71%MammogramKS 75%
74%Taking BP medsKS 78%
1 in 5
working-age adults has no health insurance
Syracuse 18.2% · Kansas 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Syracuse adults worry about having enough food
16.9% · KS 13%
Worse than KS
1 in 7
Syracuse adults worry about keeping their housing
15.2% · KS 11.2%
Worse than KS
1 in 11
Syracuse adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.3% · KS 8.2%
About the same as KS
1 in 12
Syracuse adults lack reliable transportation
8.4% · KS 7.1%
About the same as KS

8.1% of Syracuse adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Syracuse adults…

Syracuse runs below KS on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

6 of every 100 Syracuse adults have had cancer
Kansas: 8 in 100 · better · likely 5.8–7%
Better than KSWorseAbout the sameKansas
Why age matters in Syracuse

Only 12% of Syracuse residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.

Residents 65 and older

Syracuse12%
Kansas17%
Getting care

Care in and near Syracuse

No hospital or community health center in Syracuse itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERHamilton County HospitalSyracuse · 5.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHigh Plains Community Health CenterHolly · 19.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.4 mi
Hamilton County Hospital
Syracuse · not rated
ERRural critical access
19.1 mi
High Plains Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Holly
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
26.4 mi
Stanton County Hospital
Johnson · not rated
ERRural critical access
29.7 mi
Kearny County Hospital
Lakin · not rated
ERRural critical access
35 mi
Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital
Ulysses · not rated
ERRural critical access
35.2 mi
United Methodist Western Kansas Mexican-American Ministries
3 sites · nearest in Ulysses
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careSyracuse is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careSyracuse is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Syracuse itself

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 Syracuse; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas

Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.

Get no exercise 29.8%KS 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 35.9%KS 34.3%
Binge drink 16.9%KS 16.3%
Smoke cigarettes 14%KS 14%
0%10%20%30%40%
Syracuse, betterSyracuse, worseAbout the sameKansas
Where Syracuse gets moving

1.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Syracuse adults are doing

About the same as Kansas on each measure.

1 in 3Syracuse adults feel lonely
32.3% · KS 30.9% · About the same as KS
1 in 4Syracuse adults lack social or emotional support
23.7% · KS 21.1% · About the same as KS
1 in 5Syracuse adults have been diagnosed with depression
19% · KS 20.8% · About the same as KS
1 in 6Syracuse adults are in frequent mental distress
16.1% · KS 16% · About the same as KS
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Syracuse adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Syracuse and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
SyracuseB−40.1%10.7%14%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

31.4%

of Syracuse adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.8%
Thinking or memory15.6%
Hearing6.8%
Errands alone7.5%
Vision5.1%
Dressing or bathing3.4%
Kansas

Every CDC estimate for Syracuse

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Syracuse is better than Kansas on 3 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Syracuse’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…SyracuseKSU.S.vs KS
Overall health
Fair or poor health20.1%16.8–23.518%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.7%10.9–14.612.3%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)16.1%14.2–18.316%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity40.1%31.6–48.936.5%32.9%About the same
Diabetes10.7%9.3–12.411.4%12%About the same
High blood pressure30.8%27–34.834.4%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)33.7%29.6–3836.7%37.1%About the same
Arthritis21.8%19.2–24.825.5%25.3%Better
Asthma9.3%8.2–10.59.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer6.4%5.8–78.1%7.9%Better
Coronary heart disease5.5%4.8–6.26.4%6.4%Better
COPD5.7%4.7–6.76.7%6.3%About the same
Stroke2.8%2.4–3.23.2%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.9%8.8–13.411.3%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14%11.5–16.614%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work29.8%24.9–35.525.6%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking16.9%13.8–20.316.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours35.9%29.2–42.934.3%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)18.2%14.4–22.59.9%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year73.3%69–77.276.6%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year60%56.3–63.764.9%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years82.1%79.3–84.684.1%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)74.1%71.1–7777.6%76.5%Worse
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)60.9%55.7–66.163.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)71.4%62.8–79.274.6%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression19%16.1–22.420.8%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely32.3%26.5–38.430.9%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support23.7%19.4–28.421.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food16.9%13.3–2113%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing15.2%12.3–18.411.2%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off9.3%7.6–11.28.2%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation8.4%6.9–10.17.1%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)8.1%6.1–10.47.4%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability31.4%26.9–36.630.4%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs12.8%10.8–1513.4%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15.6%13.4–1814.4%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty6.8%6–7.87.4%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty5.1%4.4–5.94.6%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone7.5%6.4–8.87.7%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.4%3–43.5%3.8%About the same

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 Syracuse

Is Syracuse a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Syracuse is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− 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 Syracuse?

CDC estimates 40.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 48.9%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Syracuse?

Hamilton County Hospital in Syracuse, 5.4 miles in a straight line from Syracuse’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Syracuse have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 18.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.4–22.5%), 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 Syracuse more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Syracuse.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.