Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Kansas with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 25#25. Barton County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #74
--- Quality of life rank: #73
--- Length of life rank: #74
- Estimated county population: 25,658
Macross24 // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 25#24. Lyon County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #53
--- Quality of life rank: #76
--- Length of life rank: #19
- Estimated county population: 33,045
Pittsburgstealer // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Crawford County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #89
--- Quality of life rank: #79
--- Length of life rank: #89
- Estimated county population: 38,730
Jeffrey Beall // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Cowley County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #84
--- Quality of life rank: #81
--- Length of life rank: #79
- Estimated county population: 34,628
John Margolies // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 25#21. Edwards County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #104
--- Quality of life rank: #84
--- Length of life rank: #103
- Estimated county population: 2,750
Spacini // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 25#20. Morton County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #77
--- Quality of life rank: #85
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 2,538
25or6to4 // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25#19. Woodson County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #72
--- Quality of life rank: #86
--- Length of life rank: #38
- Estimated county population: 3,015
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8 / 25#18. Elk County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #82
--- Quality of life rank: #90
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 2,507
railfan 44 // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Neosho County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #94
--- Quality of life rank: #92
--- Length of life rank: #92
- Estimated county population: 15,929
usacetulsa // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 25#16. Labette County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #96
--- Quality of life rank: #96
--- Length of life rank: #85
- Estimated county population: 19,586
Ichabod // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 25#15. Bourbon County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #95
--- Quality of life rank: #98
--- Length of life rank: #78
- Estimated county population: 14,435
Alishasmith1005 // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Montgomery County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #98
--- Quality of life rank: #99
--- Length of life rank: #93
- Estimated county population: 31,502
Michael Adams // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 25#13. Chautauqua County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #97
--- Quality of life rank: #102
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 3,230
AbeEzekowitz // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Cherokee County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #101
--- Quality of life rank: #103
--- Length of life rank: #101
- Estimated county population: 19,681
SharonPapierdreams // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25#11. Geary County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #85
--- Quality of life rank: #55
--- Length of life rank: #99
- Estimated county population: 32,218
Billy Hathorn // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 25#10. Hamilton County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #66
--- Quality of life rank: #66
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 2,425
Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 25#9. Grant County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #46
--- Quality of life rank: #74
--- Length of life rank: #14
- Estimated county population: 7,077
Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 25#8. Stanton County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #73
--- Quality of life rank: #75
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 1,969
Tinboy2341 // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 25#7. Haskell County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #76
--- Quality of life rank: #80
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 3,923
Spacini // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Stevens County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Quality of life rank: #53
--- Length of life rank: #24
- Estimated county population: 5,388
Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 25#5. Kearny County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #88
--- Quality of life rank: #94
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 3,745
Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 25#4. Finney County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #83
--- Quality of life rank: #95
--- Length of life rank: #42
- Estimated county population: 35,917
Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 25#3. Ford County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #60
--- Quality of life rank: #83
--- Length of life rank: #20
- Estimated county population: 33,094
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24 / 25#2. Wyandotte County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #102
--- Quality of life rank: #104
--- Length of life rank: #98
- Estimated county population: 165,265
Billy Hathorn // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25#1. Seward County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (5 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #79
--- Quality of life rank: #97
--- Length of life rank: #22
- Estimated county population: 21,038
