On CDC estimates, Locust Fork is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Locust Fork trails Alabama on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Locust Fork. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Locust Fork
COPD and heart disease run high in Locust Fork
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.6%), vs 8% across Alabama. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.6%), vs 7.3% across Alabama. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 22 miles from Locust Fork
The closest emergency room is St. Vincent's East in Birmingham, 21.7 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Quality of Life Health Services is closer (9.4 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Smoking is more common in Locust Fork
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.5%), vs 15.1% across Alabama. Habits ↓
Locust Fork is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Locust Fork is healthier than 15%. Against the 5,805 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 36%. Health Grade ↓
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 Locust Fork’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Locust Fork’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Locust Fork is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 41% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Locust Fork’s median household income is $50,000; among the 5,805 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Locust Fork adults…
Locust Fork runs above AL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Locust Fork
No hospital or community health center in Locust Fork 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 Locust Fork; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Locust Fork adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Locust Fork adults are doing
About the same as Alabama on each measure.
1 in 3 Locust Fork 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.
13.6% of Locust Fork adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Locust Fork and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locust Fork | D | 37.4% | 14.7% | 19.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Locust Fork adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Locust Fork
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Locust Fork is better than Alabama on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Locust Fork’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Locust Fork | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.6%22.3–29.3 | 22.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.8–19.2 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.5–21.1 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%29.6–45.7 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.7–16.8 | 14.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.3%38.9–47.8 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.2%38.7–47.9 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.9%30.3–37.7 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.9 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.7–9.7 | 7.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9.2–12.1 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4–4.9 | 4.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.8%14.5–21.5 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.5%16.6–22.6 | 15.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.1%26–36.4 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.6–17.2 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.1%30.5–44.1 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.5%8.6–12.6 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%76.1–83 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.8%49.7–57.9 | 56.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.4%82.3–86.5 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.9–81.5 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.1%59.8–70.2 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%63.7–79.3 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.4–30.4 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%29.6–40.4 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24%20.3–28 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.2%15.2–21.4 | 19.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.3%10.4–14.4 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 9.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8–10.6 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.6%11.3–16.2 | 14% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.3%35.4–45.3 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.2%16.6–22 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16.3–21 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.6–7.1 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 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 Locust Fork
Is Locust Fork a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Locust Fork is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Locust Fork?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 45.7%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Locust Fork?
St. Vincent's East in Birmingham, 21.7 miles in a straight line from Locust Fork’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Locust Fork have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–12.6%), 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 Locust Fork 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 Locust Fork.
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.