Photo: George Bannister · CC BY 2.0Within Louisiana, New Orleans is healthier than 81% of graded towns
New Orleans differs from Louisiana on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for New Orleans. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in New Orleans
New Orleans looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 81% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 35% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
New Orleans is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, New Orleans is healthier than 35%. Against the 7,904 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$71K), it’s healthier than 61%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in New Orleans
1 in 6 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (16%), vs 12.4% across Louisiana. Housing insecurity (20.5% vs 16.8%) and no reliable transportation (13.7% vs 11.3%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
New Orleans has six hospitals within its borders
6 hospitals and 11 community health centers are inside New Orleans. Getting care ↓
Cancer and COPD are less common in New Orleans
New Orleans runs below Louisiana on cancer (5.8% vs 7.5%), COPD (7.2% vs 8.5%) and obesity (34% vs 40%). 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 New Orleans’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind New Orleans’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Orleans is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns, #32 of 161 in Louisiana. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 66% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). New Orleans’ median household income is $56,631; among the 7,904 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$71K), it’s healthier than 61%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where New Orleans compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 362,154 residents, New Orleans is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
23.9% of New Orleans adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Care in and near New Orleans
6 hospitals and 11 community health centers in New Orleans, 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 New Orleans; ≈ 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 New Orleans adults…
New Orleans runs below LA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
83 miles of trails across 76 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of New Orleans adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How New Orleans adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
2 in 5 New Orleans 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.
New Orleans and the towns around it
New Orleans’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | C+ | 34% | 15.1% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Gretna | D | 44.9% | 17.7% | 19% | CDC place |
| Meraux | C− | 40.5% | 13.4% | 18.5% | CDC place |
| Marrero | D− | 46.1% | 20.1% | 19.3% | CDC place |
| Metairie | B− | 38.1% | 13.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Terrytown | D | 44.9% | 16.6% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| Arabi | D | 42.1% | 15.4% | 21% | CDC place |
| Chalmette | D | 42.7% | 14.2% | 20.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of New Orleans adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for New Orleans
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, New Orleans is better than Louisiana on 9 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside New Orleans’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | New Orleans | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%20.7–25 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.2–15.1 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.5–21.3 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34%29.6–38.6 | 40% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 15.1%13.5–16.7 | 15.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.2%36–42.3 | 42.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.1–37.5 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 25.3%22.9–27.8 | 29.7% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.3 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.8–7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.2%6.5–7.8 | 8.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 4.3%4–4.6 | 4.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.9%16.1–22.1 | 18.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%13.8–17.3 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.5%23.4–29.7 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.7%16.9–22.6 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.1%33.6–42.8 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%77.5–83.1 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59%55.6–62.3 | 57.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.2–87.5 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%75.3–80 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.6%65.4–73.7 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.8%77.4–87.5 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.8%24.7–31 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 40.1%35.8–44.3 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.2%27.8–34.7 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.5%24.1–28.9 | 22.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.5%18.3–22.7 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16%14.3–17.7 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.7%12.3–15.1 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.9%21.7–26 | 19% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%31.2–37.7 | 38% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%14.4–17.7 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16.5–19.9 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–6.8 | 8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%7–8 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%9.4–11.3 | 10.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5.2–6 | 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 New Orleans
Is New Orleans a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Orleans is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #32 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 61%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in New Orleans?
CDC estimates 34% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 38.6%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to New Orleans?
New Orleans East Hospital in New Orleans, 2.7 miles in a straight line from New Orleans’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in New Orleans have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–9.9%), 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 New Orleans more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in New Orleans.
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.