Lewis and Elizabeth Bolton House · Photo: Jim Roberts · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wardsville is healthier than 39%
Wardsville beats Missouri on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wardsville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wardsville
Against towns with similar incomes, Wardsville’s lead shrinks
Wardsville is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but 39% of the 5,582 towns with similar household incomes ($91K–$152K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Wardsville is short on primary care and dental care
Wardsville’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and dental care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Stroke and heart disease are less common in Wardsville
Wardsville runs below Missouri on four chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2.7% vs 3.6%), heart disease (5.2% vs 6.8%) and diabetes (9.3% vs 12.1%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Wardsville adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Missouri. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Wardsville is insured
Only 5.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.7% across Missouri. Checkups ↓
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 Wardsville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Wardsville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wardsville is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 88% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 58%.
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). Wardsville’s median household income is $121,222; among the 5,582 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($91K–$152K), it’s healthier than 39%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Wardsville
No hospital or community health center in Wardsville 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 Wardsville; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Wardsville adults…
Wardsville runs below MO on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6% of Wardsville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wardsville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Wardsville adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
1 in 3 Wardsville 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.
Wardsville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wardsville | B+ | 35.1% | 9.3% | 13.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wardsville adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wardsville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wardsville is better than Missouri on 12 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Wardsville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wardsville | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%12.8–19.3 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.5–14.6 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.4–19.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.1%28.2–42.5 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.3%7.8–11 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.3%29.4–37.5 | 36.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.8%31.7–40.1 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.1%23.9–30.6 | 28.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.7–9.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.5–6.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.2%5–7.6 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.8%7.9–12 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%10.1–16.9 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.1%19.4–29.7 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19%15.7–22.6 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%28.3–40.8 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%4.3–7.9 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%74.9–82 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.5%67.1–73.8 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.1–88.7 | 84.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%71.5–78.3 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%58.9–68.9 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%72.3–85.2 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.3–28.7 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%26.2–36.5 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.9%14.6–21.5 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.4%6.3–11.2 | 13.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.3%6.5–10.7 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%4.9–7.4 | 9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.7–7.1 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6%4.3–8.2 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%26.8–36.8 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%9.8–14.6 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15%12.5–17.9 | 17.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%2.9–4.1 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%5.8–8.5 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.3–3.4 | 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 Wardsville
Is Wardsville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wardsville is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wardsville?
CDC estimates 35.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 42.5%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wardsville?
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Jefferson City in Jefferson City, 7.6 miles in a straight line from Wardsville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wardsville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–7.9%), 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 Wardsville 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 Wardsville.
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.