Grant County Courthouse District · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Ulysses is healthier than 77%
Ulysses differs from Kansas on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ulysses. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ulysses
Many Ulysses adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 5 working-age adults has no health insurance (18.7%, vs 9.9% across Kansas). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 20.6%, is about level with the state’s 18%. Checkups ↓
Ulysses is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ulysses is healthier than 55%. Against the 9,711 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 77%. 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 Ulysses’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Ulysses’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ulysses is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, #78 of 150 in Kansas. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 78% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Ulysses’ median household income is $63,857; among the 9,711 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ulysses adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Out of every 100 Ulysses adults…
Ulysses runs below KS on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Ulysses
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Ulysses, 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 Ulysses; ≈ 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.
How Ulysses adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Ulysses 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.
7.7% of Ulysses adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Ulysses and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulysses | B | 36.3% | 11.8% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ulysses adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ulysses
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ulysses is better than Kansas on 2 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Ulysses’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ulysses | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%17.5–24 | 18% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.2–14.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.3–17.2 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.3%28.3–44.3 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.2–13.6 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31%27.1–34.9 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.1%29.8–38.3 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.4%19.5–25.3 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.7%6–7.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 6.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.8–6.8 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.4%12.7–18.6 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.8–15.7 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.4%25.3–35.7 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.6–19.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.1%25.8–38.9 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.7%14.7–22.5 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.6%69.5–77.5 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.6%56.8–64.3 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%80.9–85.7 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%72.9–78.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.9%53.5–64.1 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.7%63.3–79.3 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.7%14.9–20.8 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%27.3–37.9 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%20.4–28.4 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.7%13–20.4 | 13% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.1%12.3–18 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.4–10.4 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%6.7–9.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.7%5.9–9.5 | 7.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3%26.8–36 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.7%11.7–16 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%12.9–17.5 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.4–8.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 3.5% | 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 Ulysses
Is Ulysses a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ulysses is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #78 of 150 in Kansas. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ulysses?
CDC estimates 36.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.3% and 44.3%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ulysses?
Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Ulysses’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ulysses have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.7–22.5%), 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 Ulysses 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 Ulysses.
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.