Centenary College · Public domainWithin Louisiana, Jackson is healthier than 54% of graded towns
Jackson differs from Louisiana on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Jackson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Jackson
Jackson looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 54% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 9% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Jackson is behind on routine checkups
It trails Louisiana on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (77.1% vs 81.8%), dentist visits (48.8% vs 57.2%), cholesterol checks (82.5% vs 86.4%) and colon screening (60.6% vs 66.3%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Jackson
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (22.5%), vs 17.3% across Louisiana. Habits ↓
Jackson is short on primary care and mental health care
Jackson’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 ↓
Jackson is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Jackson is healthier than 9%. Against the 1,834 towns with similar household incomes ($28K–$47K), it’s healthier than 52%. 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 Jackson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Jackson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jackson is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #74 of 161 in Louisiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 30% of U.S. towns); smoking 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). Jackson’s median household income is $37,844; among the 1,834 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($28K–$47K), it’s healthier than 52%, about where its income would put it.
Where Jackson compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Jackson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks 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.
Care in and near Jackson
No hospital or community health center in Jackson 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 Jackson; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Jackson adults…
Jackson runs below LA on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Jackson residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Louisiana. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
How Jackson adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
4 in 10 Jackson 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.9% of Jackson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Jackson and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | D | 43.4% | 14.4% | 22.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Jackson adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Jackson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jackson is better than Louisiana on 3 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Jackson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Jackson | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.2%22.2–30.5 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.2–17.7 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%16.8–22 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.4%34.5–51.3 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.4%12.3–16.4 | 15.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 44.2%39.1–48.7 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%33.4–42.7 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%22.2–28.8 | 29.7% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9%7.7–10.2 | 10.3% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.1–7.9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%6.8–9.3 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 4.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.3%14.1–20.8 | 18.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.5%18.6–26.5 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33%27.3–38.9 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 21.7%17.7–25.6 | 16.9% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.4%37.8–53.3 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11%8.6–13.9 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.1%73–80.8 | 81.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.8%44.6–52.8 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.5%79.9–85.2 | 86.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74%70.6–77.3 | 78.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.6%54.9–66.2 | 66.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%73.1–86.3 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.1–27.9 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.7%31.2–42.6 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.1%27.7–37 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.9%20.1–28.5 | 22.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.7%15.9–21.9 | 16.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.6%11.7–15.7 | 12.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.9%10.2–13.8 | 11.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.9%15.7–22.7 | 19% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.4%33.1–44 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%13.6–18.6 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.4%16.7–22.5 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.5 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 6.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.1–11 | 10.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 5.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Jackson
Is Jackson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jackson is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #74 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 52%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Jackson?
CDC estimates 43.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.5% and 51.3%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Jackson?
West Feliciana Parish Hospital in Saint Francisville, 10.0 miles in a straight line from Jackson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Jackson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–13.9%), 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 Jackson 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 Jackson.
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.