On CDC estimates, Hays is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Hays differs from Montana on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 25 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hays. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hays
Making ends meet is harder in Hays
35.9% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 11.7% across Montana (3 times the Montana rate). Utility shut-off threats (19.5% vs 6.5%) and no reliable transportation (22% vs 7.5%) are higher too. 26.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Hays
44% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.3% across Montana. Among those 65 and older, 28.8% have lost all their teeth (Montana 12.3%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Hays
3 in 10 adults smoke cigarettes (28%), about twice the Montana rate. COPD, which smoking drives, is high too: 9.3%, vs 7% across Montana. 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 Montana figure falls outside Hays’ likely range.
What’s behind Hays’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hays is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 19% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Hays’ median household income is $52,250; among the 6,542 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 4%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Hays compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26.9% of Hays adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Keeping up with care
Share of Hays adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
Out of every 100 Hays adults…
Hays runs below MT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Hays residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Montana. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Hays
No hospital or community health center in Hays 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 Hays; ≈ 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 Hays adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Hays runs above Montana.
2 in 5 Hays 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.
Hays and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hays | D− | 45.5% | 15.7% | 28% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hays adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hays
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hays is better than Montana on 1 and worse on 25; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Hays’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hays | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.6%27–36.7 | 18.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.7%18–23.7 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 24.6%21.8–27.9 | 17.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.5%38.7–52.5 | 31.4% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.7%13.6–18 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.7%31–38.8 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.8%26.3–33.6 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27%24–30.1 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 15.8%13.8–17.8 | 11.1% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5–6.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.3%7.8–11.1 | 7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 28.8%24.2–33.5 | 12.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 28%23.3–33.1 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.9%25.7–36.7 | 20.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%15.6–22.3 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%32.2–43.4 | 31.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14%10.6–17.9 | 9.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.9%63.2–72.1 | 72.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 44%40.4–47.6 | 63.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 74.9%71.1–78.2 | 82.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.9%65.6–72.1 | 73.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.4%50.1–60.4 | 63.8% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 63.2%54.7–71.2 | 74.8% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.3%22.4–30.3 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.8%32.4–43.8 | 30.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.1%27.4–37.5 | 21.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.9%29.8–42.5 | 11.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.3%21–29.9 | 9.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 19.5%16.5–22.6 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 22%18.7–25.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.9%21.6–32.7 | 8.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.8%39.4–50.8 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20%17.1–23.2 | 12.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.9%19.5–26.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.2%8.7–12 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.6%12.3–17.2 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.1–7.3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Montana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Hays
Is Hays a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hays is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 4%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hays?
CDC estimates 45.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.7% and 52.5%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Hays have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.6–17.9%), against 9.3% across Montana.
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 Hays more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Hays.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Montana 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.