Laura Plantation · Photo: ZeWrestler · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, North Vacherie is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns
North Vacherie differs from Louisiana on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Vacherie. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Vacherie
North Vacherie is in the bottom 5% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, North Vacherie is healthier than only 5% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in North Vacherie
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.4%), vs 22.5% across Louisiana. Utility shut-off threats (18.1% vs 12.4%) and housing insecurity (23.5% vs 16.8%) are higher too. 29.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 19% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in North Vacherie
49.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 57.2% across Louisiana. Among those 65 and older, 25.9% have lost all their teeth (Louisiana 18.1%). Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in North Vacherie, and more people treating it
50.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Louisiana 42.6%), but 82.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 78.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
North Vacherie is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, North Vacherie is healthier than 5%. Against the 1,652 towns with similar household incomes ($28K–$46K), it’s healthier than 34%. 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 North Vacherie’s likely range.
What’s behind North Vacherie’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Vacherie is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 18% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). North Vacherie’s median household income is $37,083; among the 1,652 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($28K–$46K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where North Vacherie compares well: checkup in the past year, 85.4% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.1% (U.S. 76.5%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
29.4% of North Vacherie adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Vacherie adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
Out of every 100 North Vacherie adults…
North Vacherie runs above LA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near North Vacherie
No hospital or community health center in North Vacherie 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 North Vacherie; ≈ 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.
How North Vacherie adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, North Vacherie runs above Louisiana.
2 in 5 North Vacherie 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.
North Vacherie and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Vacherie | D− | 48.7% | 20.1% | 18.4% | CDC place |
| Paulina | B− | 38.3% | 10.4% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Wallace | — | — | — | — |
Wallace: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Vacherie adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Vacherie
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Vacherie is better than Louisiana on 3 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside North Vacherie’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Vacherie | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.9%25.8–34.5 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.4–19.1 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.2–22.3 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 48.7%40.5–57.1 | 40% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 20.1%17.5–22.7 | 15.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 50.7%46.2–55.1 | 42.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.2%34–42.6 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33%29.4–36.7 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–13 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.7%6–7.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.4–9.5 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.5%8–11.1 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25.9%21.3–30.6 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.4%15.3–22 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 37.9%32.1–44.1 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.6%11.2–16.5 | 16.9% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 47.5%39.9–55.1 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%7.1–12.1 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.4%82.4–88 | 81.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.2%45–53.4 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%85.5–89.8 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.1%79.7–84.2 | 78.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.1%62.5–73.3 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%74.1–87.2 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.3%19.8–27 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.5%32.9–44.5 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.7%29–38.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.4%25.9–37 | 22.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.5%19.6–27.5 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18.1%15.4–21 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.3%12.8–18 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.4%24.1–35.1 | 19% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.9%36.6–47.5 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.6%19.5–25.9 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%16.5–22.4 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.9%7.7–10.2 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.4%10.5–14.4 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.9%5.9–8 | 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 North Vacherie
Is North Vacherie a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Vacherie is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Vacherie?
CDC estimates 48.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 40.5% and 57.1%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Vacherie?
St. James Parish Hospital in Lutcher, 3.2 miles in a straight line from North Vacherie’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in North Vacherie have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–12.1%), 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 North Vacherie 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 North Vacherie.
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.