Photo: Paul Sableman · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Kirkwood is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Kirkwood differs from Missouri on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kirkwood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kirkwood
Kirkwood is an active town
Only 20% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 28.8% across Missouri. Habits ↓
Kirkwood keeps up with checkups
It beats Missouri on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.8% vs 60.4%) and cholesterol checks (89.2% vs 84.5%). Checkups ↓
COPD and obesity are less common in Kirkwood
Kirkwood runs below Missouri on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5.5% vs 8%), obesity (27.7% vs 36.6%) and diabetes (9.4% vs 12.1%). Conditions ↓
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 Missouri figure falls outside Kirkwood’s likely range.
What’s behind Kirkwood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kirkwood is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #15 of 247 in Missouri. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 91% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 83%.
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). Kirkwood’s median household income is $121,270; among the 5,572 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($91K–$152K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
4.4 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Kirkwood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Out of every 100 Kirkwood adults…
Kirkwood runs below MO on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Kirkwood
No hospital or community health center in Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Kirkwood adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Kirkwood does better than Missouri.
3 in 10 Kirkwood 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.
4.8% of Kirkwood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Kirkwood and the towns around it
Kirkwood’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkwood | A | 27.7% | 9.4% | 10% | CDC place |
| Des Peres | A+ | 25.8% | 9.3% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Glendale | A+ | 25.8% | 7.8% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Sunset Hills | A | 26.2% | 10.7% | 10% | CDC place |
| Warson Woods | A+ | 25% | 8.6% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Frontenac | A+ | 25.6% | 9.9% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Crestwood | A | 28.3% | 9.8% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Oakland | A | 25.8% | 11% | 9.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kirkwood adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kirkwood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kirkwood is better than Missouri on 22 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Kirkwood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kirkwood | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%12.2–15.5 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.9–12.4 | 14.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.4–15.6 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%24.3–31.3 | 36.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%31.4–37.1 | 36.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%34.4–40.7 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.5%26.1–31.1 | 28.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.5–11.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.1 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6–9.3 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10%8.7–11.7 | 16% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20%17.6–22.7 | 28.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%15–19.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.2%24.6–32 | 36.5% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.9%4.2–5.8 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%77.6–82.4 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.8%70.9–76.5 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.2%87.9–90.4 | 84.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%77.3–82.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.3%68.2–76 | 64% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.5%73.2–84.8 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%20.5–25.9 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.4%26.4–32.6 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.2%14.1–18.4 | 20.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 13.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7%6–8.1 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.6–6 | 9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.8%4.1–5.7 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%26.1–31.7 | 36.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.7–13.4 | 17.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.5–8.1 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.9–3.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 3.9% | 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 Missouri figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Kirkwood
Is Kirkwood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kirkwood is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #15 of 247 in Missouri. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kirkwood?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.3% and 31.3%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kirkwood?
Missouri Baptist Medical Center in Saint Louis, 4.0 miles in a straight line from Kirkwood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Kirkwood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–5.8%), against 8.7% across Missouri.
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 Kirkwood more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Kirkwood.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri 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.