Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Decatur is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Decatur trails Alabama on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Decatur. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Decatur
Every town around Decatur scores healthier
All four graded neighbors are ahead of Decatur’s C−, from Trinity (C+) to Priceville (A−). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Decatur
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.6%), vs 19.2% across Alabama. Housing insecurity (17% vs 13.9%) and utility shut-off threats (11.7% vs 9.6%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Decatur has no health insurance
14.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Alabama. Checkups ↓
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 Decatur’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Decatur’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #123 of 187 in Alabama. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 44% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Decatur’s median household income is $61,563; among the 9,301 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 22%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Alabama towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Decatur is healthier than 34% of graded towns, against 17% nationally.
Decatur and the towns around it
Decatur’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | C− | 40.5% | 16% | 17% | CDC place |
| Priceville | A− | 33.6% | 11.8% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Trinity | C+ | 38.5% | 13.7% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Huntsville | B− | 40.7% | 12.7% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Hartselle | B− | 35.9% | 12.5% | 14.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18% of Decatur adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Keeping up with care
Share of Decatur adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
Out of every 100 Decatur adults…
Decatur runs above AL on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Decatur
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Decatur, 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 Decatur; ≈ 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.
28 miles of trails across 26 parks and preserves
How Decatur adults are doing
About the same as Alabama on each measure.
4 in 10 Decatur 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Decatur adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Decatur
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Decatur is better than Alabama on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Decatur’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Decatur | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.6%23.8–29.7 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.9–17.6 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.4–19.6 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%33.6–48 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16%14.2–18.2 | 14.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 45.9%41.9–50.3 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.5%37.4–46 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%28.4–35 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.7 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.6–9.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7.1–8.7 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9%8.1–10 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 4.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.6%13.8–19.8 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17%14.9–19.6 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.6%28.3–37.6 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.4%11.1–16.3 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.3%34–47.5 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.1%12.3–16.1 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%76.2–82.9 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.4%50.6–58.4 | 56.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.9%83.1–86.7 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%76–81.1 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.4%61.6–71.4 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%68–82.4 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.1–27.2 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%31.2–41.4 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.3%22.8–30.1 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.6%21–26.1 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%15.1–19.1 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.7%10.3–13.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.5–13 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18%16.1–20 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.8%35.6–44.5 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.1%17–21.4 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.8–19.7 | 16.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%8–10 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.8–8 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.1%10.1–12.3 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5.1–6 | 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 Decatur
Is Decatur a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #123 of 187 in Alabama. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 22%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Decatur?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.6% and 48%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Decatur?
Decatur Morgan Hospital - Decatur Campus in Decatur, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Decatur’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Decatur have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.3–16.1%), 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 Decatur 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 Decatur.
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.