Montserrat Recreation Demonstration Area Bridge · Photo: 25or6to4 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Knob Noster is healthier than 77%
Knob Noster differs from Missouri on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Knob Noster. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Knob Noster
Knob Noster is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Knob Noster is healthier than 53%. Against the 9,493 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 77%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Knob Noster
Knob Noster runs below Missouri on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.5% vs 8.6%), heart disease (4.6% vs 6.8%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.6%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Missouri 18%). 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 Knob Noster’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Knob Noster’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knob Noster is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #78 of 247 in Missouri. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 92% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Knob Noster’s median household income is $62,353; among the 9,493 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Missouri towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Knob Noster is healthier than 68% of graded towns, against 53% nationally.
Out of every 100 Knob Noster adults…
Knob Noster runs below MO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Knob Noster residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Missouri. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Knob Noster
No hospital or community health center in Knob Noster 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 Knob Noster; ≈ 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 Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Knob Noster adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
How Knob Noster adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Knob Noster runs above Missouri.
1 in 3 Knob Noster 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.
10.8% of Knob Noster adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Knob Noster and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knob Noster | B− | 36% | 8.8% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Whiteman AFB | A− | 32.7% | 3.1% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Knob Noster adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Knob Noster
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Knob Noster is better than Missouri on 8 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Knob Noster’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Knob Noster | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%16–21.2 | 20.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.3–14.6 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.5%18.1–23.1 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36%30–42.4 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.8%7.7–10.3 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.6%24.4–31.1 | 36.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.5%27.1–34.1 | 37.5% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.8%18.4–23.5 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–12 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.5%5–6.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.1%5.4–7 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.4%11.8–17.6 | 15.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%13.1–18.2 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.4%22.4–31 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.2%16–22.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8%34.2–45.6 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%8.2–11.8 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.6%70.8–78.3 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.5%57–64 | 60.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.2%74.3–79.9 | 84.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.3%64.6–70.3 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.4%60.6–70.1 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.7%66.4–80.3 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%22.9–30.4 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.5%29.7–39.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.2–26.1 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.1%12.7–17.9 | 13.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%11.6–15.9 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.5%8.2–11 | 9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.9%8.5–11.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%8.9–12.9 | 10.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%29.7–38.7 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%10.1–13.3 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20%17.4–22.6 | 17.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 9.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 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 Knob Noster
Is Knob Noster a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Knob Noster is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #78 of 247 in Missouri. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Knob Noster?
CDC estimates 36% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 42.4%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Knob Noster?
Western Missouri Medical Center in Warrensburg, 8.8 miles in a straight line from Knob Noster’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Knob Noster have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–11.8%), 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 Knob Noster 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 Knob Noster.
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.