On CDC estimates, West Plains Township is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns
West Plains Township trails Kansas on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 67869, 67864. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Plains Township
Making ends meet is harder in West Plains Township
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.6%), vs 13% across Kansas. Housing insecurity (14.2% vs 11.2%) and no reliable transportation (8.6% vs 7.1%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in West Plains Township has no health insurance
15.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Kansas. Checkups ↓
More West Plains Township adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.1%), vs 25.6% across Kansas. There are 26 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. 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 West Plains Township’s likely range; West Plains Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 67869, 67864, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind West Plains Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Plains Township is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 59% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). West Plains Township’s median household income is $72,273; among the 10,699 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$90K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9% of West Plains Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Plains Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kansas
Share of adults, with the Kansas figure marked.
26 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 West Plains Township adults…
On every condition, West Plains Township is about the same as Kansas. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of West Plains Township residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kansas. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near West Plains Township
No hospital or community health center in West Plains 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 West Plains 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).
How West Plains Township adults are doing
About the same as Kansas on each measure.
1 in 3 West Plains 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.
West Plains Township and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Plains Township | C+ | 37.4% | 11.5% | 15.4% | ZIP codes |
| Mertilla Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Cimarron Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Meade Center Township | C+ | 36.2% | 12.7% | 16.1% | ZIP 67864 |
Mertilla Township and Cimarron 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 West Plains Township adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Plains Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Plains Township is better than Kansas on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Kansas figure falls inside West Plains Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Plains Township | KS | U.S. | vs KS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.3%18.1–24.5 | 18% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.1–15.7 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.8–18.8 | 16% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%30–45.2 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10–13.2 | 11.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%29.3–36.7 | 34.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%31.4–39.2 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.9%22–27.9 | 25.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.8–8.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.8–7.3 | 6.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7%5.9–8.1 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%10.7–15.1 | 11.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.9–17.9 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.1%26.2–35.9 | 25.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.3–19.1 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%29–41.7 | 34.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.3%12.4–18.5 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.3%70.3–78 | 76.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.3%57.8–64.7 | 64.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.4%79.9–84.7 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%73.4–78.8 | 77.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.2%54.2–63.9 | 63.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%64.1–78.7 | 74.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%17.5–23.8 | 20.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%27.6–38 | 30.9% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.2–26.6 | 21.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.6%13.6–20 | 13% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.2%11.9–16.7 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.5%8.1–11 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.3–10 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9%7.2–11.1 | 7.4% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.2%28.7–37.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%12.7–17 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%14.3–18.8 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.5–4.6 | 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 West Plains Township
Is West Plains Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Plains Township is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 48%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Plains Township?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 45.2%, against 36.5% across Kansas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Plains Township?
Meade District Hospital in Meade, 11.3 miles in a straight line from West Plains Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in West Plains Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.4–18.5%), 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 West Plains Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in West Plains 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.