Photo: Falkonry at English Wikipedia · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Duson is healthier than 70%
Duson trails Louisiana on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Duson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Duson
Duson is in the bottom 7% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Duson is healthier than only 7% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Duson
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (29.1%), vs 22.5% across Louisiana. No reliable transportation (14.5% vs 11.3%) and utility shut-off threats (15.1% vs 12.4%) are higher too. 26% of adults receive SNAP, vs 19% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Duson
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (22.2%), vs 17.3% across Louisiana. Habits ↓
Duson is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Duson is healthier than 7%. Against the 213 towns with similar household incomes ($19K–$31K), it’s healthier than 70%. 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 Louisiana figure falls outside Duson’s likely range.
What’s behind Duson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duson is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 32% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Duson’s median household income is $25,054; among the 213 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($19K–$31K), it’s healthier than 70%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26% of Duson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
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.
Out of every 100 Duson adults…
Duson runs above LA on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Duson
No hospital or community health center in Duson 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 Duson; ≈ 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 Duson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Duson adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
2 in 5 Duson 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.
Duson and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duson | D | 38.5% | 15.8% | 22.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Duson adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Duson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Duson is better than Louisiana on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Duson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Duson | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.1%25.8–32.5 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.3–19.3 | 15.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.2%19.1–23.6 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%33.3–43.9 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.8%14–17.6 | 15.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 42.5%39–46 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34.5–41.5 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.8%26.1–31.5 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.4–11.8 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.1–8.8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.3%9–11.7 | 8.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 4.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.7%19–26.6 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.2%19.2–25.2 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.2%28.1–36.5 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%14.9–20.3 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%34–43.5 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%9.9–13.9 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77.7–83.3 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.3%51.9–58.5 | 57.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.5–85.5 | 86.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.3%74.7–79.6 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%59.1–67.7 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%75.9–86 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.8%24.5–31.2 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.5%34.2–43 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.2%25.6–33 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 29.1%25.5–32.6 | 22.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.4%17.9–23.1 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.1%13.3–17 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.5%12.8–16.2 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26%22.6–29.4 | 19% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.3%38.1–46.6 | 38% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.1%17.9–22.5 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22%19.6–24.6 | 18.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.7 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.3 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.8%11.3–14.4 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.6–7 | 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 Duson
Is Duson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duson is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns: D 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 Duson?
CDC estimates 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.3% and 43.9%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Duson?
Ochsner University Hospital and Clinics in Lafayette, 8.9 miles in a straight line from Duson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Duson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.9–13.9%), 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 Duson 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 Duson.
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.