Lincoln Theater · Photo: Tjean314 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Baker is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Baker differs from Louisiana on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Baker. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Baker
Baker looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 43% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 6% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Baker is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Baker is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Baker
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (33.9%), vs 22.5% across Louisiana. Utility shut-off threats (20.7% vs 12.4%) and housing insecurity (26.1% vs 16.8%) are higher too. 32.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 19% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Diabetes and stroke run high in Baker
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (19.8%), vs 15.2% across Louisiana. 1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.6%), vs 4.3% across Louisiana. In all, Baker runs above Louisiana on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
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 Baker’s likely range.
What’s behind Baker’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baker is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #92 of 161 in Louisiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 19% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Baker’s median household income is $54,750; among the 7,335 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 9%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Louisiana towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Baker is healthier than 43% of graded towns, against 6% nationally.
Where Baker compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.9% (U.S. 7.9%); checkup in the past year, 84.6% (U.S. 77.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
32.6% of Baker adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Out of every 100 Baker adults…
Baker runs below LA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Baker residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Louisiana. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Baker
No hospital or community health center in Baker 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 Baker; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Baker adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Baker adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Baker runs above Louisiana.
2 in 5 Baker 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.
Baker and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker | D | 43.4% | 19.8% | 19% | CDC place |
| Brownfields | D− | 44.7% | 22% | 20.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Baker adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Baker
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Baker is better than Louisiana on 3 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Baker’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Baker | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.5%26.5–32.8 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.5–18.2 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%18.2–22.6 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.4%38.2–48.6 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.8%17.6–22 | 15.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 50.4%46.8–53.8 | 42.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%33.8–40.6 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.6%28.6–34.4 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 5.6%5.2–6.1 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.2%17.7–24.8 | 18.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19%16.5–21.7 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.7%28.7–37 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%11.2–15.5 | 16.9% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 47.7%43–52.3 | 40.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%7.8–11.1 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.6%82.1–86.9 | 81.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.1%49.7–56.5 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.8–89.2 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%78.4–82.9 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%61.7–70.2 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.6%78.4–87.9 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%21.1–27.2 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39%34.6–43.3 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34%30.1–37.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 33.9%30.2–37.7 | 22.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.1%23.1–29.1 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 20.7%18.3–23.1 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17%15.1–18.9 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 32.6%29–36.1 | 19% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.4%37.4–45.7 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.6%19.3–24 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.5%18.4–23 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.7%11.4–14.2 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 5.1% | 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 Louisiana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Baker
Is Baker a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baker is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #92 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 9%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Baker?
CDC estimates 43.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.2% and 48.6%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Baker?
Lane Regional Medical Center in Zachary, 4.8 miles in a straight line from Baker’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Baker have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11.1%), 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 Baker more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Baker.
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.