Photo: Richard N Horne · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Payson is healthier than 74%
Payson differs from Arizona on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Payson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Payson
The nearest ER is 53 miles from Payson
The closest emergency room is Honorhealth Scottsdale Thompson Peak Medical Center in Scottsdale, 52.6 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Elk Ridge - Payson is closer (1 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
COPD, cancer and heart disease run high in Payson
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.4%), vs 6.6% across Arizona. 1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.8%), vs 8.8% across Arizona. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.9%, vs 6.4% across Arizona. In all, Payson runs above Arizona on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 40% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and COPD, cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Payson is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Payson is healthier than 56%. Against the 10,301 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 74%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Payson, and more people treating it
40.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Arizona 32.8%), but 82.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer Payson adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Arizona. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 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 Arizona figure falls outside Payson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Payson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Payson is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns, #77 of 140 in Arizona. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 89% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Payson’s median household income is $67,710; among the 10,301 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 74%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Payson
1 community health center in Payson, 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 Payson; ≈ 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 Payson adults…
Payson runs above AZ on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Payson is an older town: 40% 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 Payson as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Payson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.2% of Payson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Payson adults are doing
About the same as Arizona on each measure.
3 in 10 Payson 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.
Payson and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payson | B | 29.1% | 14.1% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Star Valley | B | 29.3% | 14.1% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Payson adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Payson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Payson is better than Arizona on 8 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Payson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Payson | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%18.7–23.5 | 19.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.6–18.1 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.1%25.2–33.6 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.6–16 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.5%37.4–43.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.6%39.4–46 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.8%34.9–40.7 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–12 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.8%12.7–15.1 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.9%9–11.1 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.4%9.2–11.8 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.6%13–18.5 | 14.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%11.2–14.9 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.4%21.5–27.9 | 21.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%11–15.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7%27.5–36.2 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.7–10.5 | 13.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%77.1–82.3 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.7%55.2–62.1 | 59.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%88–90.5 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.4%79.9–84.7 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.2%59.8–68.6 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.2%58–71.8 | 72.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.2%17.8–22.9 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.8%26.5–33.2 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%22.5–28.3 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12%10.3–13.9 | 15.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.4%7.3–9.7 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.2–6.8 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.2%7.8–10.9 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.1%33–39.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.6%16.7–20.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%12.1–15.2 | 14.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.2%11.1–13.5 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.5–6.7 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.8–9.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.2–5.2 | 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 Payson
Is Payson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Payson is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns: B for health, #77 of 140 in Arizona. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Payson?
CDC estimates 29.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.2% and 33.6%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Payson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.5%), 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 Payson more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Payson.
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.