On CDC estimates, Carl Junction is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
Carl Junction beats Missouri on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Carl Junction. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Carl Junction
What’s behind Carl Junction’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carl Junction is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, #67 of 247 in Missouri. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 75% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Carl Junction’s median household income is $82,879; among the 10,549 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$104K), it’s healthier than 58%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.8% of Carl Junction adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Out of every 100 Carl Junction adults…
Carl Junction runs below MO on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Carl Junction
No hospital or community health center in Carl Junction 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 Carl Junction; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Carl Junction adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
How Carl Junction adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
3 in 10 Carl Junction 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.
Carl Junction and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Junction | B | 36.9% | 10.4% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Airport Drive | — | — | — | — |
Airport Drive: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Carl Junction adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Carl Junction
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Carl Junction is better than Missouri on 9 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Carl Junction’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Carl Junction | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.5%15–20.5 | 20.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.4–15 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.3–19.9 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%29.4–44.8 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.9–11.9 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%30.1–38.4 | 36.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.8%31.6–40.2 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.4%24.4–30.9 | 28.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.9%5.9–8 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%8.8–13.5 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%11.9–17.4 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.7%21.4–30.6 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.1–20.6 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.8%31.5–44.3 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.8–8.8 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%74–81.2 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.8%61.1–68.1 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%82.9–87.2 | 84.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%72.2–78.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%60.6–70.3 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%67.8–82.4 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.6–29.3 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%25.7–35.9 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.3%15.2–21.6 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.2%8.2–12.2 | 13.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.1–11.7 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.1–8.5 | 9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.9–7.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%6.2–9.5 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%28.5–37.5 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.3–15.2 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.1%13.9–18.4 | 17.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.6 | 8.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.8–9.1 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 3.9% | 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 Missouri figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Carl Junction
Is Carl Junction a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carl Junction is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #67 of 247 in Missouri. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Carl Junction?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 44.8%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Carl Junction?
Freeman Health System - Freeman West in Joplin, 7.6 miles in a straight line from Carl Junction’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Carl Junction have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.8%), 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 Carl Junction 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 Carl Junction.
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.