Photo: Calvin Beale · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Chatom is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns
Chatom differs from Alabama on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chatom. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chatom
What’s behind Chatom’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chatom is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 61% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 21%).
Out of every 100 Chatom adults…
Chatom runs above AL on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Chatom is an older town: 34% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Alabama. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Chatom as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Chatom
1 hospital in Chatom, 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 Chatom; ≈ 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 Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Chatom adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Chatom adults are doing
About the same as Alabama on each measure.
4 in 10 Chatom 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.
10.9% of Chatom adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Chatom and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatom | C+ | 37.3% | 14.2% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chatom adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chatom
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chatom is better than Alabama on 2 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Chatom’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chatom | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.5%19–26.5 | 22.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.3–16.6 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.4–18.8 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%29.2–45.7 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.2–16.4 | 14.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 44.6%39.9–49.3 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.8%37.2–46.5 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.7%29.9–37.5 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.5 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.8–10.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.7–9 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%6.5–9.5 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.8–5 | 4.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%13.6–20.5 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%11.2–16.4 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.1%23.9–34.7 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%10.5–15.7 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.4%34.1–49.2 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.2–11.4 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%77.9–84.4 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57%52.8–61.1 | 56.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.2–89.2 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80%77.3–82.3 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%63.4–73.3 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.4%68.7–83.2 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.8%19.2–26.6 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36%30.7–41.7 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.4%21.7–29.6 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.4%13.6–19.6 | 19.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%10.1–14.2 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.7–9.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.9%8.8–13.2 | 14% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.8%33.6–44.4 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.3%15.3–21.4 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%13.3–17.9 | 16.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.2–10.8 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%4.8–6.6 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.2–11.4 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 4.6% | 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 Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Chatom
Is Chatom a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chatom is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chatom?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.2% and 45.7%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chatom?
Washington County Hospital in Chatom, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Chatom’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Chatom have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–11.4%), 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 Chatom more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chatom.
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.