Terra Ceia Village Improvement Association Hall · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Memphis is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns
Memphis differs from Florida on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Memphis. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Memphis
Making ends meet is harder in Memphis
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (22.8%), vs 16.8% across Florida. Utility shut-off threats (11.5% vs 8.6%) and housing insecurity (18.2% vs 13.9%) are higher too. 22% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Obesity runs high in Memphis
2 in 5 adults have obesity (37.5%), vs 31.9% across Florida. Conditions ↓
Memphis sleeps less
43.4% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 37.3% across Florida. Habits ↓
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 Florida figure falls outside Memphis’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Memphis’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Memphis is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns, #473 of 636 in Florida. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 51% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Memphis’ median household income is $74,839; among the 10,849 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 25%, 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% of Memphis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Out of every 100 Memphis adults…
Memphis runs below FL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Memphis
No hospital or community health center in Memphis 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 Memphis; ≈ 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 Memphis adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Memphis adults are doing
About the same as Florida on each measure.
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.
Memphis and the towns around it
Memphis’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Memphis adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Memphis
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Memphis is better than Florida on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Memphis’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Memphis | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.7%21–26.4 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.2–16.7 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.7–19.6 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%32–43.4 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.3%13.5–17.1 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.6%35.3–42.1 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%34.8–42.1 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%23–28.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–11 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%7–8.4 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.5–8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.5%6.6–8.4 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.9–4.6 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.3%11.8–16.8 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12.8–16.8 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.6%25.7–33.6 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%12.1–17.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.4%37.9–48.5 | 37.3% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.9%16.6–21.3 | 15.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%75.4–81.4 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.1%47.6–54.3 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%84–87.3 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.1%75.6–80.4 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%61.4–70.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%68.2–81.1 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17%14.5–19.7 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.4%23.9–30.8 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.8%20.8–24.9 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.2%16.2–20.1 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.5%10.1–12.8 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.9%10.8–13 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22%20–24 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.6%31.8–39.6 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17%15.1–19.1 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%14.2–17.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.6–7.9 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.5–5.5 | 4.1% | 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 Florida figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Memphis
Is Memphis a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Memphis is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #473 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Memphis?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 43.4%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Memphis?
Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Memphis’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Memphis have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16.6–21.3%), against 15.9% across Florida.
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 Memphis more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Memphis.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Florida 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.