Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Louisiana, River Ridge is healthier than 95% of graded towns
River Ridge differs from Louisiana on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for River Ridge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in River Ridge
River Ridge looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 95% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 63% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
River Ridge keeps up with checkups
It beats Louisiana on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (67.2% vs 57.2%) and cholesterol checks (90.6% vs 86.4%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in River Ridge
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.8%), vs 7.5% across Louisiana. Conditions ↓
River Ridge is an active town
Only 23.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 30.3% across Louisiana. Habits ↓
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 River Ridge’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind River Ridge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, River Ridge is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, #9 of 161 in Louisiana. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 77% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). River Ridge’s median household income is $84,336; among the 10,447 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 63%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of River Ridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
Out of every 100 River Ridge adults…
River Ridge runs below LA on 4 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.
Care in and near River Ridge
No hospital or community health center in River Ridge 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 River Ridge; ≈ 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).
How River Ridge adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, River Ridge does better than Louisiana.
1 in 3 River Ridge 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.
8.1% of River Ridge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
River Ridge and the towns around it
River Ridge has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Ridge | B | 37.1% | 13.3% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Harahan | B | 36.8% | 13% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Waggaman | D− | 48.6% | 20.1% | 19.2% | CDC place |
| Kenner | C | 41.1% | 16% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Metairie | B− | 38.1% | 13.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of River Ridge adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for River Ridge
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, River Ridge is better than Louisiana on 18 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside River Ridge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | River Ridge | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.7%15.5–19.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.1–14.1 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 19.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%32.5–41.7 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.6–15 | 15.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 40.4%37–43.8 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.6%36.1–43 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.7%27.7–33.5 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.9–10.7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.2–7.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 8.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.2%7.5–11 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%10–13.5 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.6%20.3–26.9 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%15.3–20.5 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.3%32.2–40.5 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%5.3–7.2 | 8.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84%81.5–86.2 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.2%64.2–70.1 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.4–91.7 | 86.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.4%78.7–83.5 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73%69.2–76.6 | 66.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.4%77.3–86.8 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%21.7–27.8 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.9%30.2–37.8 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.7%20.9–26.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.8%10.2–13.6 | 22.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.6–11.4 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%6–7.9 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%6.9–9.4 | 19% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%27.3–34.2 | 38% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%12.2–15.7 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.2–15.4 | 18.4% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.8 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4–4.8 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.4–8 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 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 River Ridge
Is River Ridge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, River Ridge is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #9 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 63%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in River Ridge?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 41.7%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to River Ridge?
East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie, 4.6 miles in a straight line from River Ridge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in River Ridge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–7.2%), 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 River Ridge 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 River Ridge.
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.