Photo: Z28scrambler · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Albany is healthier than 66%
Albany beats Louisiana on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Albany. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Albany
Albany is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Albany is healthier than 26%. Against the 4,523 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 66%. Health Grade ↓
Albany is short on primary care and mental health care
Albany’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fewer Albany adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Louisiana. 1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 4 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 Louisiana figure falls outside Albany’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Albany’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Albany is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 37% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Albany’s median household income is $46,591; among the 4,523 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 66%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Albany
No hospital or community health center in Albany 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 Albany; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.2% of Albany adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Out of every 100 Albany adults…
Albany runs below LA on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Albany adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Albany adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Albany 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.
Albany and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | C | 38.4% | 13% | 17.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Albany adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Albany
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Albany is better than Louisiana on 7 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Albany’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Albany | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%19–25 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.4–17.1 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.4–21.9 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.4%32.7–44.5 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.3–14.9 | 15.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 40.9%37.1–44.7 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.3%35.4–43.2 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.7–32.8 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.2–7.8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7.2–9.4 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.7%12.2–17.5 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%14.8–20 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%23.4–31.9 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.7–22 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%32.6–44.1 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.6–9.7 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.5%78.4–84.4 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.8%57.2–64.4 | 57.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.5–88.2 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.2%74.5–79.8 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.3–71.4 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%69.4–83.1 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.8%26.1–33.5 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%29.8–39.2 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.1%23.5–31 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.5%14.9–20.5 | 22.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13%11.2–15.1 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.2%11.2–15.6 | 19% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38%33.8–42.4 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.5–17.8 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%16.3–20.7 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 10.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 5.1% | 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 Louisiana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Albany
Is Albany a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Albany is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C 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 Albany?
CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.7% and 44.5%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Albany?
North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond, 7.7 miles in a straight line from Albany’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Albany have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–9.7%), against 8.9% across Louisiana.
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 Albany 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 Albany.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Louisiana 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.