On CDC estimates, Valley Center is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Valley Center beats Kansas on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Valley Center. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Valley Center
Valley Center is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A− tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Park City (B−). Around town ↓
Fewer Valley Center adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Kansas. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Valley Center is an active town
Only 20.4% 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 Valley Center’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Valley Center’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valley Center is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #31 of 150 in Kansas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 89% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 55%.
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). Valley Center’s median household income is $77,020; among the 10,824 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$96K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Valley Center and the towns around it
Valley Center has the best Health Grade of the 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Center | A− | 35.5% | 9.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Park City | B− | 39.3% | 10.3% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| Wichita | C+ | 39.5% | 12.6% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| Kechi Township | B− | 39.5% | 12.1% | 15.3% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.8% of Valley Center adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Valley Center adults…
Valley Center runs below KS on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Valley Center
No hospital or community health center in Valley Center 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 Valley Center; ≈ 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 Valley Center adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
How Valley Center adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 Valley Center 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Valley Center adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Valley Center
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Valley Center is better than Kansas on 13 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Valley Center’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Valley Center | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.9%13–17.1 | 18% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%31.9–39.3 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%29.1–34.4 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.8%33.1–38.6 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.3%22.1–26.6 | 25.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.7–9.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.8%5–6.7 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%7–10.1 | 11.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.6–14.9 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.4%17.6–23.4 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%15.3–19.9 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%31.1–37.3 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.1–8.9 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.8%71–76.6 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.9%68.4–73.2 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.4–87.2 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.9–79.9 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.1%63.7–70.4 | 63.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%71.8–80.9 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.7–25.9 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%28.7–34.8 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%19–24.3 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%7.6–11 | 13% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%7.5–10.3 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.5–7.5 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.4%4.6–6.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.8%3.8–5.9 | 7.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.2%23.3–29.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.7–12.8 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%11.1–14.5 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3–3.9 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.6–7.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 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 Valley Center
Is Valley Center a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valley Center is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #31 of 150 in Kansas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Valley Center?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 39.3%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Valley Center?
Ascension Via Christi Hospitals Wichita in Wichita, 9.4 miles in a straight line from Valley Center’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Valley Center have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.9%), 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 Valley Center 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 Valley Center.
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.