Parlange Plantation House · Photo: Richard Koch, Photographer · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Ventress is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns
Ventress differs from Louisiana on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ventress. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ventress
Cancer runs high in Ventress
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 7.5% across Louisiana. Conditions ↓
Ventress is short on dental care and mental health care
Ventress’ 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 ↓
Fewer Ventress adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Louisiana. 1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 4 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Ventress’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Ventress’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ventress is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 62% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). Ventress’ median household income is $71,458; among the 10,625 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 43%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Ventress compares well: cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.4% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.1% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Ventress adults…
Ventress runs below LA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Ventress
No hospital or community health center in Ventress 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 Ventress; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10% of Ventress adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ventress adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Ventress adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Ventress 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.
Ventress and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventress | C+ | 34.6% | 13.9% | 15.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ventress adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ventress
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ventress is better than Louisiana on 8 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Ventress’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ventress | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%17.4–25.3 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13–17.8 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.9–19.4 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%26.8–42.9 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.9%11.8–16.3 | 15.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.8%39–48.6 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.6%38.8–48.3 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34%30.2–38 | 29.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.3–9.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.9%7.2–10.7 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 4.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%11.8–17.4 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%12.6–19 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%22.8–33.9 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%13.6–20.1 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%28.4–41.6 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.5–9.6 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.3%79.9–86 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.6%60.9–68 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.4%87.5–91.1 | 86.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.1%79.1–84.6 | 78.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.5%63.4–72.8 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%71.5–85 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.2%22.2–30.4 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%28.3–39.1 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.4%21.5–29.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.9%11.2–17.1 | 22.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%8.6–12.3 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%5.9–8.2 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.1–8.4 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8–12.4 | 19% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.5%31.2–42.2 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%14–20.4 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%13.5–18.5 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.3–11 | 8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.3–6 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.2–10.1 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.4–4.9 | 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 Ventress
Is Ventress a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ventress is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ventress?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.8% and 42.9%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ventress?
Pointe Coupee General Hospital in New Roads, 1.8 miles in a straight line from Ventress’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ventress have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–9.6%), 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 Ventress more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ventress.
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.