Photo: Runner1928 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Lusk is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns
Lusk trails Wyoming on 8 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lusk. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lusk
Dental care lags in Lusk
57% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.7% across Wyoming. Among those 65 and older, 18.9% have lost all their teeth (Wyoming 12.8%). Checkups ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Lusk
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.7%), vs 7% across Wyoming. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.9%), vs 3.3% across Wyoming. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Wyoming 19%), and COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Lusk is short on primary care and mental health care
Lusk’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 ↓
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 Wyoming figure falls outside Lusk’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Lusk’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lusk is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 56% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 26%).
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). Lusk’s median household income is $68,507; among the 10,391 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$86K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lusk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Wyoming.
Out of every 100 Lusk adults…
Lusk runs above WY on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Lusk is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Wyoming. COPD and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Lusk as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Lusk
1 hospital in Lusk, 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 Lusk; ≈ 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 Wyoming
Share of adults, with the Wyoming figure marked.
3.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Lusk adults are doing
About the same as Wyoming on each measure.
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 Lusk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.1% across Wyoming.
Lusk and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lusk | C+ | 36.6% | 11.7% | 16.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lusk adults live with a disability (Wyoming 30.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lusk
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lusk is better than Wyoming on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Wyoming figure falls inside Lusk’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lusk | WY | U.S. | vs WY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%17.3–24.1 | 18.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%12.9–17.3 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.5–20.2 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.6%28.4–45.2 | 33.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%9.9–13.6 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33%28.8–37.3 | 31.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%30.2–39.1 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.3%24.9–32 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–13 | 10.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 6.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.7%7.3–10.2 | 7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.9%15.6–22.4 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.5%13.2–19.7 | 14% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.4%24.1–35.1 | 25.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.2–17 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.6%25.2–38.4 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%9–14.3 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.1%65.4–74.4 | 69.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57%53–61.1 | 62.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.8%78.9–84.4 | 82.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%71.6–78.2 | 73% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.9%52.2–63.5 | 59.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 62.2%52.5–71 | 67.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.1–27.8 | 21.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%16.9–23.2 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 9.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9.4–12.2 | 9.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 6.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%7.7–10.5 | 6.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%29.2–39.3 | 30.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.3–18.4 | 13.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%13.8–18.9 | 14.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.3–11.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 3.5% | 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 Wyoming figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Lusk
Is Lusk a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lusk is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lusk?
CDC estimates 36.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.4% and 45.2%, against 33.7% across Wyoming and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lusk?
Niobrara County Hospital District in Lusk, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Lusk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Lusk have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–14.3%), against 11.6% across Wyoming.
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 Lusk more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lusk.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Wyoming 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.