Within Louisiana, Walker is healthier than 80% of graded towns
Walker beats Louisiana on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Walker. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Walker
Walker looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 80% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 33% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Walker is short on primary care and mental health care
Walker’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 ↓
Fewer Walker adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Louisiana. 1 in 6 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 Walker’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Walker’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walker is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns, #33 of 161 in Louisiana. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 43% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Walker’s median household income is $80,707; among the 10,708 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$101K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Care in and near Walker
No hospital or community health center in Walker 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 Walker; ≈ 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.
13.7% of Walker adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Out of every 100 Walker adults…
Walker runs below LA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
1.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Walker adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Walker adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Walker 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.
Walker and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker | C | 38% | 13% | 15.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Walker adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Walker
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Walker is better than Louisiana on 9 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Walker’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Walker | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%18.4–23.7 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.9–16.4 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.8–21.1 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%32.2–44.1 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.3–14.7 | 15.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.8–44.6 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%35.3–43.1 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.3%26.3–32.4 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.1 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%5.9–7.4 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.7%6.7–8.7 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%11.9–17.5 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.9%13.6–18.4 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.6%22.9–30.5 | 30.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15.4–21.7 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.6%33.1–44.5 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%6.1–8.9 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%79.1–85 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60%56.5–63.5 | 57.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%85–88.5 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.8–80.2 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%62.1–71.3 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%71.8–84.7 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.9%25.3–32.8 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%29.3–38.6 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.2%22.5–30.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%15–20.2 | 22.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13%11.2–14.9 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%7.8–10.3 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.6–9.8 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.7%11.8–15.9 | 19% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.8%32.8–41 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.3–17.1 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.5–19.5 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.8 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8–10 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.5 | 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 Walker
Is Walker a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walker is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #33 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Walker?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 44.1%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Walker?
Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge in Baton Rouge, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Walker’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Walker have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.9%), 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 Walker more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Walker.
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.