James Beauchamp Clark House · Photo: MustardsMom · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Bowling Green is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Bowling Green differs from Missouri on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bowling Green. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bowling Green
Making ends meet is harder in Bowling Green
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.4%), vs 13.7% across Missouri. Utility shut-off threats (12.1% vs 9%) and housing insecurity (16.1% vs 12.1%) are higher too. 16.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Bowling Green
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (22.2%), vs 16% across Missouri. Habits ↓
Bowling Green is behind on routine checkups
It trails Missouri on three of five routine checkups and screenings: dentist visits (49.8% vs 60.4%), cholesterol checks (79.6% vs 84.5%) and colon screening (55.2% vs 64%). Checkups ↓
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 Missouri figure falls outside Bowling Green’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Bowling Green’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowling Green is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, #182 of 247 in Missouri. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 39% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Bowling Green’s median household income is $53,295; among the 6,873 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 23%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.9% of Bowling Green adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bowling Green adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Out of every 100 Bowling Green adults…
Bowling Green runs below MO on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bowling Green
No hospital or community health center in Bowling Green 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 Bowling Green; ≈ 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 Bowling Green adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
1 in 3 Bowling Green 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.
Bowling Green and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green | D | 40% | 12.8% | 22.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bowling Green adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bowling Green
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bowling Green is better than Missouri on 1 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Bowling Green’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bowling Green | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.5%21.8–29.2 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.2–18.7 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.4–22.4 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%31.9–48.6 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.1–14.8 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.4%34–42.9 | 36.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%31.9–40.6 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.3%25–31.8 | 28.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.9%8.5–11.4 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.3%15.1–21.9 | 15.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.2%18.7–25.7 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.2%28.7–39.9 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.2–20.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.7%34.8–48.8 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%9.7–14.6 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.2%72.2–79.8 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.8%45.7–53.7 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.6%76.8–82.2 | 84.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%70.9–76.9 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.2%49.3–60.6 | 64% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.8%59.6–76.7 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%20.8–28.4 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%27.3–37.5 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%19.5–26.9 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.4%16.1–22.8 | 13.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.1%13.7–18.7 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%10.4–13.9 | 9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.1%9.6–12.8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.9%14.1–19.9 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.4%35.3–45.7 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.9%15.4–20.7 | 15.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.2%18.5–24.2 | 17.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.8–10 | 8.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.4%9.8–13.1 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.3–5.7 | 3.9% | 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 Missouri figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bowling Green
Is Bowling Green a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowling Green is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: D for health, #182 of 247 in Missouri. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 23%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bowling Green?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 48.6%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bowling Green?
Pike County Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, 9.9 miles in a straight line from Bowling Green’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Bowling Green have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–14.6%), against 8.7% across Missouri.
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 Bowling Green 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 Bowling Green.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri 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.