Newman, E.L., Lustron House · Photo: themidnite · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Sheffield is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Sheffield trails Alabama on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sheffield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sheffield
Sheffield is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Sheffield is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Sheffield
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26.3%), vs 19.2% across Alabama. Utility shut-off threats (13.6% vs 9.6%) and no reliable transportation (13.3% vs 9.8%) are higher too. 22.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Sheffield
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.9%), vs 8% across Alabama. 1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.2%), vs 4.1% across Alabama. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.8%, vs 7.3% across Alabama. In all, Sheffield runs above Alabama on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Alabama 18%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Sheffield is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sheffield is healthier than 6%. Against the 2,308 towns with similar household incomes ($30K–$50K), 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 Sheffield’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Sheffield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sheffield is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #160 of 187 in Alabama. All seven of Sheffield’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is diabetes: 17.5% of adults, against 14.8% across Alabama and 12% nationally.
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). Sheffield’s median household income is $39,733; among the 2,308 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22.9% of Sheffield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Out of every 100 Sheffield adults…
Sheffield runs above AL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Sheffield is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Alabama. Heart disease, COPD and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Sheffield as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Sheffield
1 hospital in Sheffield, 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 Sheffield; ≈ 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.
2.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Sheffield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Sheffield adults are doing
About the same as Alabama on each measure.
4 in 10 Sheffield 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.
Sheffield and the towns around it
Sheffield’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield | D | 41.2% | 17.5% | 19.8% | CDC place |
| Muscle Shoals | B− | 35.7% | 13.1% | 14% | CDC place |
| Tuscumbia | C | 37.5% | 15% | 15.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sheffield adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sheffield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sheffield is better than Alabama on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Sheffield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sheffield | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.9%25.7–32 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.2–19.2 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.2–21.7 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.2%33.3–49 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.5%15.3–19.6 | 14.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 46.6%42.1–50.8 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.3%37.8–46.7 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34%30.3–37.4 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.8%7.8–9.6 | 7.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23%19.4–26.6 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.8%17.2–22.6 | 15.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.3%28.4–38 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%10.8–16 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.7%35.4–49.8 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12%10.2–14 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%76.9–83.5 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52%47.9–55.9 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%81.8–86.1 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%75.8–80.9 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%58.5–68.9 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.1%66.1–81.1 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%21.8–29.5 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.1%31–41.6 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.1%22.6–30.2 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.3%23.3–29.5 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.1%16–20.5 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.6%12–15.3 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.3%11.9–14.9 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.9%20.4–25.6 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.3%37.5–46.8 | 36.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.6%19.1–24 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.5%17.3–21.7 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.4–10.5 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.7–9.2 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.1%11.7–14.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.6%6–7.3 | 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 Sheffield
Is Sheffield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sheffield is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #160 of 187 in Alabama. 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 Sheffield?
CDC estimates 41.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.3% and 49%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sheffield?
Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Sheffield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sheffield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.2–14%), 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 Sheffield 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 Sheffield.
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.