Scout's Rest Ranch Headquarters · Photo: Smallbones · Public domainWithin Nebraska, North Platte is healthier than 2% of graded towns
North Platte trails Nebraska on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Platte. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Platte
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in North Platte
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.7%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.1%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. Stroke is also above the state: 4.1%, vs 3.1% across Nebraska. In all, North Platte runs above Nebraska on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More North Platte adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.6%), vs 24.3% across Nebraska. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in North Platte
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.6%), vs 12.3% across Nebraska. Utility shut-off threats (8.4% vs 6.4%) and no reliable transportation (8.5% vs 6.7%) are higher too. 13.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
North Platte is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, North Platte is healthier than 33%. Against the 8,373 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 55%. Health Grade ↓
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 North Platte’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind North Platte’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Platte is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 75% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). North Platte’s median household income is $58,097; among the 8,373 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 55%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 North Platte adults…
North Platte runs above NE on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska
Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.
5.4 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.1% of North Platte adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Care in and near North Platte
1 hospital in North Platte, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 North Platte; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of North Platte adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
How North Platte adults are doing
About the same as Nebraska on each measure.
3 in 10 North Platte 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.
North Platte and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Platte | C | 41.4% | 13.3% | 16.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Platte adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Platte
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Platte is better than Nebraska on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Nebraska figure falls inside North Platte’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Platte | NE | U.S. | vs NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%18.4–23.1 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.9–16.1 | 11.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%14–17.3 | 14.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.4%36.9–46.2 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.8–15 | 10.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%34.6–40.8 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%31.9–38.2 | 33% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%25.5–30.7 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.2–9.9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.3–9 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.7–9.7 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.4%11.8–17.3 | 12.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.8–19.1 | 13.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.6%28.1–35.4 | 24.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%16.1–21.3 | 19.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.1%31.8–42.5 | 31.3% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%9.8–13.1 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.3%72.3–78.2 | 75.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.4%55.9–63 | 64.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%80.4–84 | 83.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.6–81.4 | 77.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60%55–64.8 | 62.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.8%62.8–77.8 | 75% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.6%17.2–22.4 | 18.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.1%26.1–34.6 | 29.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.3%19.2–25.6 | 20.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.6%14.3–19 | 12.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%9.9–13.1 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.3–9.7 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.1%11.2–15.1 | 8.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.2%30.9–37.7 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%14.2–18 | 12% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%13.1–16.2 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.5–6.6 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.1–10.1 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–5 | 3.2% | 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 Nebraska figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in North Platte
Is North Platte a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Platte is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 55%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Platte?
CDC estimates 41.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.9% and 46.2%, against 37.7% across Nebraska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Platte?
Great Plains Health in North Platte, 0.9 miles in a straight line from North Platte’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Platte have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.8–13.1%), 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 North Platte more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in North Platte.
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.