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Mississippi River bridge at Vidalia, LA IMG 6916Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY 3.0
D−Health Grade
Health in Vidalia · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Vidalia is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns

Vidalia trails Louisiana on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Vidalia. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Vidalia

Vidalia looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country

It’s healthier than 39% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 5% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓

Vidalia is in the bottom 5% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Vidalia is healthier than only 5% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓

COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Vidalia

1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.6%), vs 8.5% across Louisiana. 1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.2%), vs 4.3% across Louisiana. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.9%, vs 7.5% across Louisiana. In all, Vidalia runs above Louisiana on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Vidalia is short on primary care and mental health care

Vidalia’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓

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 Vidalia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.

Health Grade

What’s behind Vidalia’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Vidalia is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns, #98 of 161 in Louisiana. All seven of Vidalia’s estimates fall in the lowest 11% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is diabetes: 17.4% of adults, against 15.2% across Louisiana and 12% nationally.

DSelf-rated health27.7% · LA 24.4% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress17.4% · LA 15.2% · U.S. 13%
DMental distress20.4% · LA 19.3% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity42.7% · LA 40% · U.S. 32.9%
DDiabetes17.4% · LA 15.2% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking19.8% smoke · LA 17.3% · U.S. 11.8%
DExercise34.4% · LA 30.3% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 5%
Less healthyHealthier
Louisiana towns we grade (161)Healthier than 39%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $36K–$60K (5,106)Healthier than 13%

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). Vidalia’s median household income is $48,250; among the 5,106 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 13%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

Few Louisiana towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Vidalia is healthier than 39% of graded towns, against 5% nationally.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Vidalia could be anywhere from D− to C.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Vidalia adults…

Vidalia runs above LA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Vidalia adults have COPD
Louisiana: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 9.1–12.3%
Better than LAWorseAbout the sameLouisiana
Getting care

Care in and near Vidalia

1 community health center in Vidalia, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERMerit Health NatchezNatchez · 4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMerit Health Natchez★★★★★ · 4.0 miDirections →
+Low-cost careVidalia Community Health CenterVidalia · 0.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.4 mi
Vidalia Community Health Center
Vidalia · community health center
Sliding-scale feesIn Vidalia
2.9 mi
Jefferson Comprehensive Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Natchez
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
4 mi
Merit Health Natchez
Natchez · ★★★★★
ER
9.6 mi
Riverland Medical Center
Ferriday · not rated
ERRural critical access
24.8 mi
Jefferson County Hospital
Fayette · not rated
ER
34.4 mi
Franklin County Memorial Hospital
Meadville · not rated
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Vidalia itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Vidalia itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Vidalia itself

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 Vidalia; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana

Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.

Get no exercise 34.4%LA 30.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 39.8%LA 40.1%
Binge drink 15.3%LA 16.9%
Smoke cigarettes 19.8%LA 17.3%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Vidalia, betterVidalia, worseAbout the sameLouisiana
Where Vidalia gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Vidalia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.

82%Yearly checkupLA 82%
54%Dentist visitLA 57%
86%Cholesterol checkLA 86%
65%Colon screeningLA 66%
78%MammogramLA 79%
81%Taking BP medsLA 79%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Vidalia 8.9% · Louisiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection

How Vidalia adults are doing

About the same as Louisiana on each measure.

4 in 10Vidalia adults feel lonely
37% · LA 36.6% · About the same as LA
3 in 10Vidalia adults lack social or emotional support
28.3% · LA 28.6% · About the same as LA
3 in 10Vidalia adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.3% · LA 26.6% · About the same as LA
1 in 5Vidalia adults are in frequent mental distress
20.4% · LA 19.3% · About the same as LA
The one neighbors can help with

4 in 10 Vidalia adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 4
Vidalia adults worry about having enough food
25% · LA 22.5%
About the same as LA
1 in 6
Vidalia adults worry about keeping their housing
17.9% · LA 16.8%
About the same as LA
1 in 7
Vidalia adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
13.8% · LA 12.4%
About the same as LA
1 in 8
Vidalia adults lack reliable transportation
12.3% · LA 11.3%
About the same as LA

22.8% of Vidalia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.

Around town

Vidalia and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
VidaliaD−42.7%17.4%19.8%CDC place
MinorcaD−46.4%19.5%26.6%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

41.9%

of Vidalia adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs21.2%
Thinking or memory19.9%
Hearing9.3%
Errands alone12.1%
Vision7.9%
Dressing or bathing6.2%
Louisiana

Every CDC estimate for Vidalia

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Vidalia is better than Louisiana on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Vidalia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…VidaliaLAU.S.vs LA
Overall health
Fair or poor health27.7%23.8–31.824.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)17.4%15.1–19.815.2%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)20.4%17.8–23.119.3%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity42.7%33.6–51.940%32.9%About the same
Diabetes17.4%15–19.815.2%12%About the same
High blood pressure46.7%41.8–51.442.6%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)41.1%36.2–46.138.3%37.1%About the same
Arthritis34.2%30.1–38.129.7%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.9%9.5–12.410.3%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer8.4%7.4–9.37.5%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease8.9%7.9–107.5%6.4%Worse
COPD10.6%9.1–12.38.5%6.3%Worse
Stroke5.2%4.6–5.74.3%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)22%18.2–2618.1%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.8%16.5–23.317.3%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work34.4%28.7–40.430.3%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.3%12.3–18.516.9%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours39.8%32.7–4740.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8.9%7–11.28.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year82.4%78.9–85.681.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year53.6%49.5–57.457.2%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.1%83.9–88.386.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)80.6%77.9–8378.8%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)65%59.6–69.766.3%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)77.6%69.8–83.879.3%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression28.3%23.9–32.926.6%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely37%31.4–42.436.6%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support28.3%24–32.528.6%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food25%20.7–29.222.5%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing17.9%15–20.816.8%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off13.8%11.8–15.912.4%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation12.3%10.4–14.111.3%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)22.8%18.8–26.619%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability41.9%36.4–47.438%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs21.2%18.2–24.217.6%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering19.9%17.2–22.818.4%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty9.3%8.2–10.58%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty7.9%6.9–96.7%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone12.1%10.4–13.910.3%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing6.2%5.4–75.1%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 Vidalia

Is Vidalia a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Vidalia is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #98 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 13%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Vidalia?

CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.6% and 51.9%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Vidalia?

Merit Health Natchez in Natchez, 4.0 miles in a straight line from Vidalia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Vidalia have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–11.2%), 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 Vidalia 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 Vidalia.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.