On CDC estimates, Bear Creek is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Bear Creek trails Alabama on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bear Creek. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bear Creek
Bear Creek is in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Bear Creek is healthier than only 2% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Bear Creek
1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.5%), vs 8% across Alabama. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.1%), vs 7.3% across Alabama. Stroke is also above the state: 5.3%, vs 4.1% across Alabama. In all, Bear Creek runs above Alabama on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Bear Creek
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (23.6%), vs 15.1% across Alabama. Habits ↓
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 Alabama figure falls outside Bear Creek’s likely range.
What’s behind Bear Creek’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear Creek is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns. All seven of Bear Creek’s estimates fall in the lowest 8% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 23.6% of adults, against 15.1% across Alabama and 11.8% nationally.
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). Bear Creek’s median household income is $50,188; among the 5,856 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 3%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Bear Creek adults…
Bear Creek runs above AL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Bear Creek
No hospital or community health center in Bear Creek 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 Bear Creek; ≈ 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 Bear Creek adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Bear Creek adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Bear Creek runs above Alabama.
4 in 10 Bear Creek 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.
22% of Bear Creek adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Bear Creek and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek | D− | 45.1% | 16.8% | 23.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bear Creek adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bear Creek
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bear Creek is better than Alabama on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Bear Creek’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bear Creek | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.7%27.6–36.3 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.1–22.2 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.9%18.5–23.6 | 17.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.1%36.1–54.4 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.8%14.6–19.3 | 14.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 46.4%41.7–51 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.1%39.5–49.1 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.4%31.6–39.2 | 30.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.6 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.2–10.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.1%9–11.4 | 7.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.5%11.7–15.7 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.4%14.4–20.8 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23.6%20.1–27.6 | 15.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37.4%31.6–43.5 | 28.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.1–16.6 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%32.7–47.2 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.4%11.7–17.4 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%74.4–81.7 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.1%43.1–51.3 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.1%78.6–83.7 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.7–80.3 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.8%57.6–67.9 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.1%62.6–79 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.3%24.2–32.8 | 23.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.5%31–42.4 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.4%21.5–29.8 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.4%22.3–31.2 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.2%13.8–19.1 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.7%10–13.6 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.7%11–14.7 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22%18.4–26.3 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 46.5%41.2–52.4 | 36.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.4%20.4–26.8 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.2%19.5–25.4 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.7%10.4–13.2 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.6%7.6–9.8 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.5%12.7–16.6 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 4.6% | 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 Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bear Creek
Is Bear Creek a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear Creek is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 3%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bear Creek?
CDC estimates 45.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.1% and 54.4%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bear Creek?
Lakeland Community Hospital in Haleyville, 8.9 miles in a straight line from Bear Creek’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bear Creek have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.7–17.4%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
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 Bear Creek 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 Bear Creek.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama 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.