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Lawrence, Nebraska downtown 1Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
–Not graded
Health in Lawrence · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Lawrence residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Lawrence, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lawrence. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Lawrence

Cancer and heart disease run high in Lawrence

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.3% across Nebraska. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.7%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. In all, Lawrence runs above Nebraska on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Lawrence is short on primary care and mental health care

Lawrence’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓

More high blood pressure in Lawrence, and more people treating it

37.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Nebraska 32.6%), but 80.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.5% statewide. Checkups ↓

Fewer Lawrence adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Nebraska. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

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 Lawrence’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Lawrence adults…

Lawrence runs above NE on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Lawrence adults have had cancer
Nebraska: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9.7–12.1%
Better than NEWorseAbout the sameNebraska
Getting care

Care in and near Lawrence

No hospital or community health center in Lawrence itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERWebster County Community HospitalRed Cloud · 19.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHeartland Health CenterHastings · 22.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
19.7 mi
Webster County Community Hospital
Red Cloud · not rated
ERRural critical access
20.9 mi
Brodstone Healthcare
Superior · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
21.9 mi
Mary Lanning Healthcare
Hastings · ★★★★★
ER
22.4 mi
Heartland Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Hastings
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
34.8 mi
Jewell County Hospital
Mankato · not rated
ERRural critical access
88.9 mi
Bluestem Health
4 sites · nearest in Lincoln
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Lawrence itself
✓ Dental careLawrence is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Lawrence itself

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 Lawrence; ≈ 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Lawrence adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.

78%Yearly checkupNE 76%
66%Dentist visitNE 64%
85%Cholesterol checkNE 84%
69%Colon screeningNE 62%
77%MammogramNE 75%
81%Taking BP medsNE 78%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Lawrence 8.2% · Nebraska 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 11
Lawrence adults worry about having enough food
9.4% · NE 12.3%
Better than NE
1 in 14
Lawrence adults worry about keeping their housing
7.2% · NE 9.5%
Better than NE
1 in 20
Lawrence adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.9% · NE 6.4%
Better than NE
1 in 19
Lawrence adults lack reliable transportation
5.4% · NE 6.7%
Better than NE

6.7% of Lawrence adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska

Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.6%NE 24.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 28.1%NE 31.3%
Binge drink 18.6%NE 19.7%
Smoke cigarettes 12.2%NE 13.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Lawrence, betterLawrence, worseAbout the sameNebraska
Where Lawrence gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Lawrence adults are doing

About the same as Nebraska on each measure.

3 in 10Lawrence adults feel lonely
28.3% · NE 29.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 5Lawrence adults lack social or emotional support
19.2% · NE 20.5% · About the same as NE
1 in 6Lawrence adults have been diagnosed with depression
17.3% · NE 18.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 8Lawrence adults are in frequent mental distress
13.1% · NE 14.1% · About the same as NE
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Lawrence adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Lawrence and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

28%

of Lawrence adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13.2%
Thinking or memory11.1%
Hearing9.3%
Errands alone6.8%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.1%
Nebraska

Questions about health in Lawrence

Why doesn’t Lawrence have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Lawrence.

What hospital is closest to Lawrence?

Webster County Community Hospital in Red Cloud, 19.7 miles in a straight line from Lawrence’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lawrence.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.