Photo: Ammodramus · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wayne is healthier than 96%
Wayne differs from Nebraska on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wayne. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wayne
Wayne is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wayne is healthier than 72%. Against the 7,018 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Wayne
1 in 6 adults are in frequent mental distress (17.5%), vs 14.1% across Nebraska. Loneliness is above the state too: 35.8%, vs 29.3% across Nebraska. Mind & connection ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Wayne doesn’t win on
23.5% of adults binge drink, vs 19.7% across Nebraska. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Wayne is short on primary care and mental health care
Wayne’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 ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in Wayne
Wayne runs below Nebraska on seven chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.8% vs 8.3%), arthritis (17.9% vs 24%) and diabetes (8.3% vs 10.7%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Nebraska 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Wayne’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Wayne’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wayne is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #21 of 57 in Nebraska. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Wayne’s median household income is $53,702; among the 7,018 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Wayne adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Wayne runs above Nebraska.
1 in 3 Wayne 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska
Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.
1.4 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Wayne adults…
Wayne runs below NE on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Wayne residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Nebraska. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Wayne
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Wayne, 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 Wayne; ≈ 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 Wayne adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.8% of Wayne adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Wayne and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne | B+ | 36.9% | 8.3% | 11.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wayne adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wayne
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wayne is better than Nebraska on 7 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Nebraska figure falls inside Wayne’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wayne | NE | U.S. | vs NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%13.2–18.5 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 11.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15–20.2 | 14.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%31.1–43.1 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7.2–9.6 | 10.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.3%22.4–28.2 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 26.1%23.1–29.2 | 33% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.9%16–20.1 | 24% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.4–11 | 9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.4%4.6–6.3 | 6.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.9%15.5–22.8 | 12.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9.7–14.1 | 13.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.8%21.6–30.6 | 24.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 23.5%19.9–27.2 | 19.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%29.3–41.4 | 31.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.4%8.1–13.4 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.3%68.2–76 | 75.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%55.6–63.1 | 64.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 74.1%70.4–77.8 | 83.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.9%68.5–73.1 | 77.5% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.2%56.1–66.2 | 62.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%64.1–79.4 | 75% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16–22.4 | 18.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.8%31–41.1 | 29.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18.4–25.6 | 20.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.5%12.3–19.5 | 12.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9–13.3 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%7.9–11.6 | 6.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%8.5–13.6 | 8.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.3%25.1–34.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.9%8.4–11.6 | 12% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%13.1–18.8 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.2 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.2–5.6 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.1–10.1 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.4 | 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 Wayne
Is Wayne a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wayne is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #21 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 Wayne?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.1% and 43.1%, against 37.7% across Nebraska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wayne?
Providence Medical Center in Wayne, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Wayne’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Wayne have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.1–13.4%), 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 Wayne 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 Wayne.
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.