On CDC estimates, Houston is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Houston differs from Alaska on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Houston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Houston
Dental care lags in Houston
46.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.7% across Alaska. Among those 65 and older, 19.7% have lost all their teeth (Alaska 13.5%). Houston’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Houston
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.1%), vs 6.1% across Alaska. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (8%), vs 5.7% across Alaska. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.1% across Alaska. In all, Houston runs above Alaska on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Every town around Houston scores healthier
All three graded neighbors are ahead of Houston’s C−, from Big Lake (C+) to Meadow Lakes (B−). Around town ↓
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 Alaska figure falls outside Houston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Houston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Houston is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 51% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Houston’s median household income is $73,015; among the 10,747 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Houston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alaska.
Out of every 100 Houston adults…
Houston runs above AK on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Houston and the towns around it
Houston’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | C− | 42.2% | 12% | 24% | CDC place |
| Big Lake | C+ | 39.3% | 11.5% | 19.8% | CDC place |
| Willow | C+ | 38.7% | 13% | 17.7% | CDC place |
| Meadow Lakes | B− | 38.5% | 9.4% | 19% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Houston
No hospital or community health center in Houston itself. These are the nearest.
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 Houston; ≈ 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 Alaska
Share of adults, with the Alaska figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Houston adults are doing
About the same as Alaska on each measure.
1 in 3 Houston 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.
16.1% of Houston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.1% across Alaska.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Houston adults live with a disability (Alaska 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Houston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Houston is better than Alaska on 1 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Alaska figure falls inside Houston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Houston | AK | U.S. | vs AK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.8%21.5–28.2 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.3–19.4 | 13.1% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.9–19.9 | 16.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.2%37.3–46.8 | 35.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12%10.5–13.7 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%34.5–40.9 | 32.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%35.4–42 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.1%28.3–33.9 | 23.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.1–8.9 | 5.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.1%8.7–11.6 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.7%16.3–23.6 | 13.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24%20.5–27.6 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.6%24.5–32.8 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.5–17 | 17.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.8%32.8–41.1 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.1%9.1–13.4 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.4%68–74.4 | 68.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 46.1%42.8–49.5 | 59.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.1%76.4–81.3 | 79.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.5%66.1–72.6 | 68% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.4%52.1–60.8 | 59.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 60.5%53.5–67.6 | 66% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.5–26.4 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%28.6–36 | 33.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.3–28.8 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.5%15.7–21.5 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.6%12.5–16.8 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.6%9.1–12.1 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.9%9.5–12.4 | 9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.1%13.4–19.1 | 10.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.3%34.2–42.4 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.7–19.3 | 11.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.3–20 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%9.1–11.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.6–5.9 | 3.3% | 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 Alaska figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Houston
Is Houston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Houston is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Houston?
CDC estimates 42.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.3% and 46.8%, against 35.5% across Alaska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Houston?
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer, 18.1 miles in a straight line from Houston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Houston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.1–13.4%), against 10% across Alaska.
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 Houston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Houston.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alaska 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.