On CDC estimates, Clay Township is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Clay Township trails Missouri on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 63855, 63849, 63876, 63877. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clay Township
Clay Township is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Clay Township is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Clay Township
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.2%), vs 8% across Missouri. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.5%), vs 6.8% across Missouri. Stroke is also above the state: 5%, vs 3.6% across Missouri. In all, Clay Township runs above Missouri on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Clay Township adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (40.7%), vs 28.8% across Missouri. There are 248 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
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 Clay Township’s likely range; Clay Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 63855, 63849, 63876, 63877, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Clay Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clay Township is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 19% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Clay Township’s median household income is $50,000; among the 5,805 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 8%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Clay Township adults…
Clay Township runs above MO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
248 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Clay Township
No hospital or community health center in Clay Township 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 Clay Township; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Clay Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
How Clay Township adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
1 in 3 Clay Township 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17% of Clay Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Clay Township and the towns around it
Clay Township has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay Township | D− | 45.4% | 16.1% | 22.2% | ZIP codes |
| Salem Township | D− | 47.1% | 16.4% | 24.3% | ZIP codes |
| Independence Township | D− | 46.2% | 15.9% | 22.4% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Clay Township adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clay Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clay Township is better than Missouri on 0 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Clay Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clay Township | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.6%25–32.4 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%16.8–21.5 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%16.9–21.3 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.4%38.3–52.4 | 36.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.1%14.1–18.3 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 44.6%40.5–48.7 | 36.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.5%37.4–45.7 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.7%32.2–39.1 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.5–10.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.2%10.6–13.9 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.4–5.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.5%18–25.4 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.2%19–25.6 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 40.7%35.4–46 | 28.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.3–16.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39%33.3–45 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%10–14.4 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.9%75.4–82 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.3%47.7–55 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.4%81.2–85.4 | 84.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.8–82 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.2%56.1–66 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.8%64–78.6 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.9%22.3–29.6 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%29.1–38.1 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.2%18.2–24.3 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.5%16.7–22.8 | 13.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.2%13.1–17.4 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.3%9.9–12.9 | 9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%9.5–12.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17%14.4–19.9 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.4%40.6–50.3 | 36.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.9%20.1–26 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21%18.6–23.7 | 17.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11%9.8–12.3 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.4%10.8–14.1 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.9%5.1–6.7 | 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 Clay Township
Is Clay Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clay Township is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 8%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Clay Township?
CDC estimates 45.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.3% and 52.4%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Clay Township?
Great River Medical Center in Blytheville, 12.1 miles in a straight line from Clay Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Clay Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10–14.4%), 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 Clay Township 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 Clay Township.
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.