Photo: Coemgenus · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Ogallala is healthier than 83%
Ogallala differs from Nebraska on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ogallala. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ogallala
More Ogallala adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.2%), vs 24.3% across Nebraska. Habits ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Ogallala
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.7%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. Stroke is also above the state: 3.9%, vs 3.1% across Nebraska. In all, Ogallala runs above Nebraska on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Nebraska 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Ogallala is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ogallala is healthier than 55%. Against the 8,524 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 83%. 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 Ogallala’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Ogallala’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ogallala is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, #32 of 57 in Nebraska. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Ogallala’s median household income is $58,556; among the 8,524 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska
Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Ogallala adults…
Ogallala runs above NE on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ogallala is an older town: 26% 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 Ogallala as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Ogallala
1 hospital in Ogallala, 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 Ogallala; ≈ 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 Ogallala adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
How Ogallala adults are doing
About the same as Nebraska on each measure.
3 in 10 Ogallala 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.
9.1% of Ogallala adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Ogallala and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ogallala | B | 35.8% | 12.2% | 14.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ogallala adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ogallala
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ogallala is better than Nebraska on 1 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Nebraska figure falls inside Ogallala’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ogallala | NE | U.S. | vs NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%15.5–21.5 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.9–15.6 | 11.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 14.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.8%29.3–42.6 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.5–14 | 10.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36%32.2–40 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31–39.2 | 33% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.2%24.2–30.4 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.2–11.2 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.5–9.1 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.6%12.3–19.1 | 12.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%12.1–17.2 | 13.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%26.3–36 | 24.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.2–21.3 | 19.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.4%21.6–35.3 | 31.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.3%8.6–12.4 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.3%71.6–78.8 | 75.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.1%56.9–65.2 | 64.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%83.1–86.8 | 83.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%77.6–82.7 | 77.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%57.1–69.1 | 62.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.6%58.7–78.4 | 75% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.3%13.7–19.1 | 18.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.8%24–34 | 29.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.3–24.3 | 20.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%10.2–15.3 | 12.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%7.8–11.1 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.7–7.7 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%7.3–11.2 | 8.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%26.6–34.9 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.9%12.5–17.2 | 12% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.4%10.6–14.1 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.4–5.8 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.7–9 | 6.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 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 Ogallala
Is Ogallala a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ogallala is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #32 of 57 in Nebraska. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ogallala?
CDC estimates 35.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 42.6%, against 37.7% across Nebraska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ogallala?
Ogallala Community Hospital in Ogallala, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Ogallala’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ogallala have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–12.4%), 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 Ogallala 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 Ogallala.
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.