Photo: PhotogMetairie · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Louisiana, Metairie is healthier than 89% of graded towns
Metairie differs from Louisiana on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Metairie. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Metairie
Metairie looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 89% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 51% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Metairie keeps up with checkups
It beats Louisiana on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (65% vs 57.2%) and cholesterol checks (88.6% vs 86.4%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Metairie 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 ↓
Metairie adults report less mental distress
Frequent mental distress (16.8% vs 19.3%) and lack of emotional support (24.7% vs 28.6%) both run below Louisiana. Mind & connection ↓
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 Metairie’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Metairie’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Metairie is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #19 of 161 in Louisiana. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 70% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Metairie’s median household income is $73,042; among the 10,746 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
At 139,729 residents, Metairie is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Keeping up with care
Share of Metairie adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.8% of Metairie adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
How Metairie adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Metairie does better than Louisiana.
1 in 3 Metairie 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.
Out of every 100 Metairie adults…
Metairie runs below LA on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Metairie
2 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Metairie, 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 Metairie; ≈ 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.
16 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Metairie and the towns around it
Metairie’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metairie | B− | 38.1% | 13.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| New Orleans | C+ | 34% | 15.1% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Kenner | C | 41.1% | 16% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| River Ridge | B | 37.1% | 13.3% | 11.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Metairie adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Metairie
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Metairie is better than Louisiana on 19 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Metairie’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Metairie | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.7–21.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.6–14.4 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15–18.5 | 19.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%33.5–42.7 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.4%11.9–15 | 15.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%35.5–42 | 42.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%34.6–41.3 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%25.7–31 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.9–9.4 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.4 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.7%6–7.4 | 8.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.7 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.7–12.6 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%11.1–14.3 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 26.1%22.9–29.2 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%15.3–20.7 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%32.8–41.1 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.8–10.2 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.6%79.8–85 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%61.9–67.9 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.6%87.1–89.9 | 86.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.6–81.4 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.8%67–74.4 | 66.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.1%76.9–86.5 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.9%21.9–27.8 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%31.2–39 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21.8–27.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16%14.3–18 | 22.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.8%11.3–14.5 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%8–10.2 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%10.5–13.4 | 19% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%28.9–35.3 | 38% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12.7–15.8 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.7–16.9 | 18.4% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.6 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.7 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.2–8.8 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 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 Metairie
Is Metairie a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Metairie is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #19 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Metairie?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.5% and 42.7%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Metairie?
East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Metairie’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Metairie have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–10.2%), 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 Metairie more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Metairie.
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.