Photo: Hot Furnace · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Louisiana, Oakdale is healthier than 53% of graded towns
Oakdale differs from Louisiana on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Oakdale. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Oakdale
Oakdale looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 53% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 9% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Many Oakdale adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 7 working-age adults has no health insurance (13.5%, vs 8.9% across Louisiana). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 26.8%, is about level with the state’s 24.4%. Checkups ↓
Oakdale is short on dental care and mental health care
Oakdale’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Oakdale is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Oakdale is healthier than 9%. Against the 3,200 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 38%. 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 Oakdale’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Oakdale’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oakdale is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #75 of 161 in Louisiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 23% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Oakdale’s median household income is $42,540; among the 3,200 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 38%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Oakdale compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.3% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Oakdale adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
Care in and near Oakdale
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Oakdale, 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 Oakdale; ≈ 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 Oakdale adults…
Oakdale runs below LA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
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.
How Oakdale adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Oakdale runs above Louisiana.
4 in 10 Oakdale 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.
19.8% of Oakdale adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Oakdale and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakdale | D | 43.8% | 15.2% | 19.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Oakdale adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Oakdale
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Oakdale is better than Louisiana on 1 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Oakdale’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Oakdale | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.8%23.4–30.1 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14–17.8 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.7–21 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.8%35.6–52.1 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.2%13.2–17.2 | 15.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.6%39–48 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%33.5–42.4 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.2%24–30.4 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.4–10.8 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–7.9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.4%7.4–9.4 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.6 | 4.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.3%19.6–27.4 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.7%16.9–22.4 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.9%28.9–39 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%15.4–22.4 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.8%34–47.9 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.5%11.3–16.2 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75–82.2 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.8%48.8–56.6 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%82.8–87 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.7–78.8 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.8%56.5–66.8 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%71.5–84.7 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.2–27.5 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.6%31.4–42.2 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.4%29–37.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.6%22.1–29.1 | 22.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.4%16.7–22.1 | 16.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.1%11.5–15 | 12.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%10.6–13.7 | 11.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.8%17.1–22.5 | 19% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.9%34.1–43.5 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%15.4–19.8 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.4%17.1–21.4 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 6.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9.1–11.4 | 10.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%4.8–5.9 | 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 Oakdale
Is Oakdale a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oakdale is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #75 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 38%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Oakdale?
CDC estimates 43.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.6% and 52.1%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Oakdale?
Oakdale Community Hospital in Oakdale, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Oakdale’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Oakdale have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–16.2%), 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 Oakdale 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 Oakdale.
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.