Photo: zeesstof from The Woodlands, TX, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Superior is healthier than 73%
Superior differs from Arizona on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Superior. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Superior
More Superior adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.8%), vs 21.9% across Arizona. There are 56 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Diabetes, heart disease and stroke run high in Superior
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (18.6%), vs 11.3% across Arizona. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.7%), vs 6.4% across Arizona. Stroke is also above the state: 4.6%, vs 3.4% across Arizona. In all, Superior runs above Arizona on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and diabetes, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Superior
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.8%), vs 15.8% across Arizona. Utility shut-off threats (9.1% vs 7.2%) and housing insecurity (14.7% vs 12%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Superior is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Superior is healthier than 28%. Against the 4,012 towns with similar household incomes ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 73%. 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 Arizona figure falls outside Superior’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B−.
What’s behind Superior’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Superior is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns, #112 of 140 in Arizona. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 89% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Superior’s median household income is $45,030; among the 4,012 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 73%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Superior compares well: binge drinking, 11.8% (U.S. 15.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.6% (U.S. 76.5%); ever told they have depression, 17% (U.S. 20.6%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
Out of every 100 Superior adults…
Superior runs below AZ on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Superior is an older town: 35% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Superior as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.3% of Superior adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Care in and near Superior
No hospital or community health center in Superior 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 Superior; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Superior adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
How Superior adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Superior does better than Arizona.
1 in 3 Superior 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.
Superior and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | C | 40.8% | 18.6% | 11.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Superior adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Superior
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Superior is better than Arizona on 5 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Superior’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Superior | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.9%24.4–31.7 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.2–19.4 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.4–15.7 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.8%36.2–45.7 | 31.3% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18.6%16.5–20.9 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.6%38.4–44.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.5%42.2–48.7 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.4%28.7–34.1 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.7–9.7 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.6–9.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.4%15.4–21.6 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%9.2–13.1 | 11.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.8%28.6–37.2 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.8%10–13.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.3%35.2–43.7 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.4%15.4–23.5 | 13.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%75.4–80.9 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.3%49.1–55.7 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.3–89 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.6%78.1–82.9 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.8%56.3–65.1 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.5%62–74.7 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17%14.8–19.3 | 19.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%28–35 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%22.2–28.7 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.8%18.1–25.7 | 15.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.7%12.4–17.2 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.8–10.6 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.8%8.4–11.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.3%10.8–16.1 | 11.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.6%34.8–42.8 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.6%17.9–23.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.4–17.5 | 14.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.7%9.6–12 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.7–10.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 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 Superior
Is Superior a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Superior is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: C for health, #112 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 Superior?
CDC estimates 40.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.2% and 45.7%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Superior?
Banner Ironwood Medical Center in Queen Creek, 25.7 miles in a straight line from Superior’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Superior have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.4–23.5%), 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 Superior 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 Superior.
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.