Photo: Rivers Langley SaveRivers · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Phenix City is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Phenix City differs from Alabama on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Phenix City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Phenix City
Making ends meet is harder in Phenix City
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (28.9%), vs 19.2% across Alabama. Utility shut-off threats (15.3% vs 9.6%) and housing insecurity (21.3% vs 13.9%) are higher too. 23.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Phenix City is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Phenix City is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
More Phenix City adults lack emotional support
3 in 10 adults lack social or emotional support (28.5%), vs 24.8% across Alabama. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.4%, vs 17.2% across Alabama. Mind & connection ↓
Phenix City has a top-rated hospital
Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Phenix City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Phenix City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Phenix City is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #149 of 187 in Alabama. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 30% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Phenix City’s median household income is $50,053; among the 5,811 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 24%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Phenix City compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
23.7% of Phenix City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
How Phenix City adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Phenix City runs above Alabama.
2 in 5 Phenix City 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.
Care in and near Phenix City
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Phenix City, 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 Phenix City; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Phenix City adults…
Phenix City runs below AL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Phenix City residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Alabama. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
3.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Phenix City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
Phenix City and the towns around it
Phenix City’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenix City | D | 43.4% | 16.6% | 18% | CDC place |
| Smiths Station | C | 40.9% | 14.8% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Ladonia | D | 40.4% | 16.1% | 20.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Phenix City adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Phenix City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Phenix City is better than Alabama on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Phenix City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Phenix City | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.4%24.8–30.1 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.9–17.1 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.5–21.4 | 17.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.4%36.8–50.3 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.6%14.9–18.5 | 14.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.1%41.5–48.9 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.4%35.7–43.3 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.5–32.2 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%10.1–12.5 | 10% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%6–7.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.6–7.9 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.9%8–9.8 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.4–5 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.6%16.4–23 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.9–20.2 | 15.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.1%29–37.3 | 28.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%11.1–15.7 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.4%36.7–48.3 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%10.6–13.8 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%77.3–83.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51%47.4–54.6 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.2%82.4–86 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77%74.6–79.4 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.8%60.3–69.1 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.5%70.1–82 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%21–27.4 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.6%34.1–43.2 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.5%25.2–32.1 | 24.8% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.9%26.2–31.9 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.3%19.1–23.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.3%13.7–17.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.4%13–15.9 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.7%21.3–26.3 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.6%35.8–43.6 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.4%17.5–21.4 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.8%17–20.7 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.9–8.5 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%7.3–8.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.2%11.1–13.3 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.6–6.5 | 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 Phenix City
Is Phenix City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Phenix City is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health, #149 of 187 in Alabama. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 24%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Phenix City?
CDC estimates 43.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.8% and 50.3%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Phenix City?
Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown in Columbus, 3.4 miles in a straight line from Phenix City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Phenix City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.6–13.8%), 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 Phenix City 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 Phenix City.
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.