Photo: Nutriawood · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Gretna is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Gretna differs from Louisiana on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gretna. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gretna
Gretna looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 42% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 6% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Gretna is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Gretna 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 Gretna
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (28.6%), vs 22.5% across Louisiana. Utility shut-off threats (15.9% vs 12.4%) and housing insecurity (21.3% vs 16.8%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Gretna
52.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 57.2% across Louisiana. Among those 65 and older, 22% have lost all their teeth (Louisiana 18.1%). Checkups ↓
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 Gretna’s likely range.
What’s behind Gretna’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gretna is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #93 of 161 in Louisiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 19% of U.S. towns); obesity 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). Gretna’s median household income is $43,110; among the 3,368 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 24%, 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 Gretna is healthier than 42% of graded towns, against 6% nationally.
Where Gretna compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.2% of Gretna adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gretna adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
Out of every 100 Gretna adults…
Gretna runs below LA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Gretna
1 community health center in Gretna, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Gretna; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Gretna adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
2 in 5 Gretna 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.
Gretna and the towns around it
Gretna’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gretna | D | 44.9% | 17.7% | 19% | CDC place |
| Harvey | D− | 46.4% | 19.1% | 19.4% | CDC place |
| New Orleans | C+ | 34% | 15.1% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Terrytown | D | 44.9% | 16.6% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| Timberlane | C− | 42.9% | 16.6% | 16.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gretna adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gretna
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gretna is better than Louisiana on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Gretna’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gretna | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.6%25.7–31.3 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.5–18 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.8–22 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.9%40–49.7 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.7%15.8–19.6 | 15.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 44.2%40.9–47.4 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.8%34.4–41 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.7–32.2 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.7%6.1–7.3 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.2–8.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.3%8.3–10.2 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.4–5.1 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22%18.6–25.5 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19%16.7–21.3 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 34.7%30.8–38.4 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%13.9–18.8 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43%38.6–47.3 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.8%11–14.6 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%79.2–84.5 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.5%49.2–55.8 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.6%83.8–87.2 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.7%76.2–81 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.1%58.9–67.2 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.1%73.3–84.1 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%22.1–28.2 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39%35–43.1 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.8%27.5–34.3 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.6%25.6–31.6 | 22.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.3%19–23.8 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.9%14.1–17.7 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.2%21.6–26.9 | 19% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.6%35.9–43.1 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.6%17.5–21.7 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.3%18.3–22.3 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.2–9 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.7–9 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.5–12.8 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.7–6.8 | 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 Gretna
Is Gretna a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gretna is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #93 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 24%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gretna?
CDC estimates 44.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 40% and 49.7%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gretna?
Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Gretna’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gretna have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11–14.6%), 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 Gretna 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 Gretna.
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.