Photo: Ammodramus · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Burwell is healthier than 95%
Burwell differs from Nebraska on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Burwell. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Burwell
Burwell is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Burwell is healthier than 64%. Against the 6,213 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 95%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Burwell
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.5%), vs 8.3% across Nebraska. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.9%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.1% across Nebraska. In all, Burwell runs above Nebraska on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Nebraska 17%), and cancer, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Burwell, and more people treating it
38.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Nebraska 32.6%), but 84.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.5% statewide. Checkups ↓
Burwell keeps up with checkups
It beats Nebraska on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (79.5% vs 75.9%) and cholesterol checks (87.4% vs 83.7%). 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 Nebraska figure falls outside Burwell’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Burwell’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Burwell is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Burwell’s median household income is $51,250; among the 6,213 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 95%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Burwell adults…
Burwell runs below NE on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Burwell is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Nebraska. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Burwell as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Burwell adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
Care in and near Burwell
No hospital or community health center in Burwell 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 Burwell; ≈ 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 Nebraska
Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Burwell adults are doing
About the same as Nebraska on each measure.
3 in 10 Burwell 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.
6.6% of Burwell adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Burwell and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burwell | B | 38.4% | 12.5% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Burwell adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Burwell
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Burwell is better than Nebraska on 10 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Nebraska figure falls inside Burwell’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Burwell | NE | U.S. | vs NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%13.5–20 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%10.9–15 | 11.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.7–14.5 | 14.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.4%30.4–46.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.7–14.7 | 10.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%34.4–43.4 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.8%33.4–42.3 | 33% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.3%27.7–35.2 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.5%11.1–13.9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%7.6–10.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.2–9.6 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.6–5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.7%6.9–10.7 | 12.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%9.5–14.9 | 13.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%22.3–33.3 | 24.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%15–21 | 19.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.4%22.7–34.5 | 31.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.1–9.1 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%76.2–82.7 | 75.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.1%63.6–70.4 | 64.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.3–89.3 | 83.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.2%81.8–86.3 | 77.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.1%64–74 | 62.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%67.9–82.2 | 75% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.4%13.7–19.3 | 18.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.7%22.8–32.6 | 29.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.9%14.7–21.4 | 20.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.1%7–11.5 | 12.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.2–8.1 | 9.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%3.9–5.7 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.3–6.2 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.6%5–8.6 | 8.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.9%26.3–36.2 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.4%12.6–18.6 | 12% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9–12.8 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.8%9.4–12.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.8–5.6 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.1–9 | 6.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%2.9–4.3 | 3.2% | 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 Nebraska figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Burwell
Is Burwell a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Burwell is healthier than 64% 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 Burwell?
CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.4% and 46.8%, against 37.7% across Nebraska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Burwell?
Valley County Health System in Ord, 15.7 miles in a straight line from Burwell’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Burwell have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–9.1%), against 9.9% across Nebraska.
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 Burwell 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 Burwell.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Nebraska 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.