On CDC estimates, Sylvan Springs is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns
Sylvan Springs differs from Alabama on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sylvan Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sylvan Springs
Cancer runs high in Sylvan Springs
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 8.2% across Alabama. Conditions ↓
Sylvan Springs keeps up with checkups
It beats Alabama on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (62.8% vs 56.9%) and cholesterol checks (88.9% vs 85.8%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Sylvan Springs adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Alabama. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 5 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Sylvan Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Sylvan Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sylvan Springs is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 74% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 29%).
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). Sylvan Springs’ median household income is $81,927; among the 10,627 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 66%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Sylvan Springs adults…
Sylvan Springs runs below AL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sylvan Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.1% of Sylvan Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Care in and near Sylvan Springs
No hospital or community health center in Sylvan Springs 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 Sylvan Springs; ≈ 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.
11 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Sylvan Springs adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Sylvan Springs does better than Alabama.
1 in 3 Sylvan Springs 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.
Sylvan Springs and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Springs | B | 32.4% | 13.5% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Birmingham | D | 42.2% | 19.2% | 16.6% | CDC place |
| Maytown | — | — | — | — |
Maytown: 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 Sylvan Springs adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sylvan Springs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sylvan Springs is better than Alabama on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Sylvan Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sylvan Springs | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.3%15.3–21.8 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.4–15.4 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.7–17.8 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%28.2–36.9 | 39.4% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.6–15.4 | 14.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.8%38.3–45.5 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.2%40.7–47.8 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.8%29.7–35.9 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.2–10.6 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%9.9–12.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.7–8.9 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%6.4–9.5 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.4–4.6 | 4.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.6–10.3 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.6–16.3 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.7%20.7–29.2 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.4–18.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32%28.1–36 | 39.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.3–9.3 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%78.2–83.9 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.8%59.4–66.3 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87–90.8 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%77.5–82.8 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73%69.3–76.5 | 67% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.2%76.9–86.6 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.7–28.2 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%30.9–38.8 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.3–23.3 | 24.8% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%8.9–14 | 19.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.4%6.8–10.1 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.7–6.7 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.2–7.4 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%5.4–9.1 | 14% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%30.7–39.6 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%13.7–19.1 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.1–16.5 | 16.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7–9.7 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.1–4.4 | 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 Sylvan Springs
Is Sylvan Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sylvan Springs is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 66%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sylvan Springs?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 36.9%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sylvan Springs?
Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System in Bessemer, 10.9 miles in a straight line from Sylvan Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sylvan Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–9.3%), 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 Sylvan Springs 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 Sylvan Springs.
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.