Within Alabama, Leeds is healthier than 75% of graded towns
Leeds beats Alabama on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Leeds. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Leeds
What’s behind Leeds’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Leeds is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns, #47 of 187 in Alabama. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 68% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 34%).
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). Leeds’ median household income is $69,737; among the 10,503 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$87K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Leeds adults…
Leeds runs below AL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Leeds
No hospital or community health center in Leeds 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 Leeds; ≈ 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.
2.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Leeds adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Leeds adults are doing
About the same as Alabama on each measure.
4 in 10 Leeds 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.
11.6% of Leeds adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Leeds and the towns around it
Leeds’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leeds | B− | 35.2% | 13.1% | 14% | CDC place |
| Birmingham | D | 42.2% | 19.2% | 16.6% | CDC place |
| Irondale | B+ | 33.5% | 12.4% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Dunnavant | — | — | — | — | |
| Moody | B− | 39.1% | 12% | 14.7% | CDC place |
Dunnavant: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Leeds adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Leeds
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Leeds is better than Alabama on 12 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Leeds’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Leeds | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.7%17.7–21.8 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.7–14.4 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.1–18.5 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%31.3–39.2 | 39.4% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.7–14.6 | 14.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 39.6%36.8–42.5 | 43.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.9%37.9–43.9 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.9%26.6–31.3 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.7–10.8 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%8–9.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%6–7.3 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.8%9.8–13.8 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14%12.2–15.8 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26%23.2–29 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.9–18.4 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%31.2–38.7 | 39.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%8–10.8 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%77.2–82.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.6%57.2–63.7 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%85.2–88.4 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.4%75.1–79.6 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.2%66.5–73.4 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.6%76.9–85.4 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%22–27.5 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.6%33.3–40.2 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%20.1–25.2 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.4%14.6–18.4 | 19.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.1%10.7–13.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.6–9.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%10.1–13.3 | 14% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%31.3–37.5 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.4%13.8–17 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%13.8–16.9 | 16.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%7–8.6 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%8–9.7 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Leeds
Is Leeds a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Leeds is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #47 of 187 in Alabama. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Leeds?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 39.2%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Leeds?
St. Vincent's East in Birmingham, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Leeds’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Leeds have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–10.8%), 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 Leeds more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Leeds.
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.