Photo: Bhall87 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Wakarusa Township is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Wakarusa Township differs from Kansas on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 66046, 66047, 66049, 66006. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wakarusa Township
Wakarusa Township is older than Kansas, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Wakarusa Township runs below Kansas on five chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (8.6% vs 11.4%), heart disease (4.9% vs 6.4%) and high blood pressure (27.5% vs 34.4%). That’s despite an older population: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Kansas 17%). Conditions ↓
Depression runs high in Wakarusa Township
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24.4%), vs 20.8% across Kansas. Conditions ↓
Wakarusa Township is an active town
Only 19.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.6% across Kansas. The town has 18 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves. 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 Wakarusa Township’s likely range; Wakarusa Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 66046, 66047, 66049, 66006, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Wakarusa Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakarusa Township is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 46%).
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). Wakarusa Township’s median household income is $99,375; among the 8,693 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$124K), it’s healthier than 78%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Wakarusa Township adults…
Wakarusa Township runs below KS on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Wakarusa Township is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Many conditions rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Wakarusa Township as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
18 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Care in and near Wakarusa Township
No hospital or community health center in Wakarusa Township 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 Wakarusa Township; ≈ 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 Wakarusa Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
How Wakarusa Township adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Wakarusa Township runs above Kansas.
3 in 10 Wakarusa Township 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.
7.5% of Wakarusa Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Wakarusa Township and the towns around it
Wakarusa Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakarusa Township | A− | 31.7% | 8.6% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
| Lawrence | A− | 31.5% | 7.9% | 12.3% | CDC place |
| Grant Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Rural Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Eudora Township | B+ | 33.2% | 9.4% | 14.8% | ZIP codes |
| Palmyra Township | A | 31.6% | 9.1% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Clinton Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Lecompton Township | A− | 32% | 10.6% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
Grant Township, Rural Township and Clinton Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wakarusa Township adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wakarusa Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wakarusa Township is better than Kansas on 12 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside Wakarusa Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wakarusa Township | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%13.6–17.5 | 18% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%9.9–12.5 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.4–19.3 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%27.5–36.4 | 36.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.6–9.9 | 11.4% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.5%24.9–30.5 | 34.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32%29–35.2 | 36.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.7%19.6–24.1 | 25.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.2–11.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.2–7.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.9%9–13 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.4%10.7–14.3 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.7–22.6 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.9%16.3–21.9 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%28.6–36.6 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.9–9.5 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.8%73.6–79.8 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.4%62.5–68.3 | 64.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.2%79–83.2 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%71–76.3 | 77.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%59.5–67.5 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.1%66.8–78.8 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%21.5–27.6 | 20.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%26.8–34.4 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18.7–24.5 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%10.7–14.5 | 13% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.7%9.3–12.4 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.5–9.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 7.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.6%25.3–32.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.7%9.4–12.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.4–17 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.7–8.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 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 Wakarusa Township
Is Wakarusa Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakarusa Township is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 78%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wakarusa Township?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 36.4%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wakarusa Township?
LMH in Lawrence, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Wakarusa Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wakarusa Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–9.5%), 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 Wakarusa Township 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 Wakarusa Township.
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.