Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Congress is healthier than 86%
Congress differs from Arizona on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Congress. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Congress
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Congress
1 in 6 adults have had cancer (17.2%), about twice the Arizona rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12%), about twice the Arizona rate. COPD is also above the state: 11.7%, vs 6.6% across Arizona. In all, Congress runs above Arizona on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 67% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Congress is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Congress is healthier than 57%. Against the 8,071 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 86%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Congress, and more people treating it
46.4% of adults have high blood pressure (Arizona 32.8%), but 83.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Congress keeps up with checkups
It beats Arizona on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82.1% vs 73.9%) and dentist visits (64.7% vs 59.9%). Checkups ↓
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 Arizona figure falls outside Congress’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Congress’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Congress is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 98% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Congress’ median household income is $57,159; among the 8,071 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Congress adults…
Congress runs below AZ on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Congress is an older town: 67% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Congress as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Congress adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Care in and near Congress
No hospital or community health center in Congress 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 Congress; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
How Congress adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Congress does better than Arizona.
1 in 4 Congress 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.
7.5% of Congress adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Congress and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congress | B | 26.7% | 14.8% | 11.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Congress adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Congress
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Congress is better than Arizona on 15 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Congress’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Congress | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.9%18.8–25.2 | 19.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.6–19.1 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.3–13.4 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.7%22.6–31.1 | 31.3% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 14.8%12.7–16.9 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 46.4%42.7–50 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 46.9%43.3–50.6 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 42%38.4–45.4 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–11.9 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 17.2%15.7–18.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12%10.6–13.5 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.7%9.8–13.6 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6%5.3–6.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%10.7–15.3 | 14.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9.6–14 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.5%20.6–28.4 | 21.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 10.4%8.7–12.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.3%25.7–33.2 | 35.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%7.8–11.5 | 13.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%79.7–84.5 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.7%61.8–67.7 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%91.1–93.3 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.8%81–86.3 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.5–71.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.9%59.4–72 | 72.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%15.2–20.1 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.2%23–29.5 | 32% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.9–25.9 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.1–11.9 | 15.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.9%5.8–8.1 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.5%3.9–5.3 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.8–6.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.5%6–9.1 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.8%35.4–44 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.4%18.3–24.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%10.1–13.5 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 14.1%12.5–15.8 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.2–6.9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.2–9.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.1–5.5 | 3.7% | 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 Arizona figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Congress
Is Congress a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Congress is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Congress?
CDC estimates 26.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 31.1%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Congress?
Wickenburg Community Hospital in Wickenburg, 14.1 miles in a straight line from Congress’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Congress have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11.5%), against 13.2% across Arizona.
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 Congress 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 Congress.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arizona 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.