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Health in Elk Township · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Elk Township residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Elk Township, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 63833, 63870, 63822, 63846. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Elk Township

COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Elk Township

1 in 8 adults have COPD (13.1%), vs 8% across Missouri. 1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.5%), vs 3.6% across Missouri. Heart disease is also above the state: 10%, vs 6.8% across Missouri. In all, Elk Township runs above Missouri on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Elk Township

1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.7%), vs 13.7% across Missouri. No reliable transportation (11.7% vs 8.4%) and utility shut-off threats (12.5% vs 9%) are higher too. 19.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Dental care lags in Elk Township

49.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 60.4% across Missouri. Among those 65 and older, 24.4% have lost all their teeth (Missouri 15.8%). 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 Elk Township’s likely range; Elk Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 63833, 63870, 63822, 63846, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Elk Township adults…

Elk Township runs above MO on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

13 of every 100 Elk Township adults have COPD
Missouri: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 11.6–14.7%
Better than MOWorseAbout the sameMissouri
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 5
Elk Township adults worry about having enough food
21.7% · MO 13.7%
Worse than MO
1 in 6
Elk Township adults worry about keeping their housing
16.1% · MO 12.1%
Worse than MO
1 in 8
Elk Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
12.5% · MO 9%
Worse than MO
1 in 9
Elk Township adults lack reliable transportation
11.7% · MO 8.4%
Worse than MO

19.5% of Elk Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Elk Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.

78%Yearly checkupMO 78%
49%Dentist visitMO 60%
83%Cholesterol checkMO 85%
63%Colon screeningMO 64%
70%MammogramMO 75%
80%Taking BP medsMO 77%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Elk Township 12.4% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Getting care

Care in and near Elk Township

No hospital or community health center in Elk Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMercy Hospital StoddardDexter · 11.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMercy Hospital Stoddard★★★★★ · 11.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSoutheast Missouri Health NetworkBernie · 8.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.7 mi
Southeast Missouri Health Network
5 sites · nearest in Bernie
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
11.5 mi
Mercy Hospital Stoddard
Dexter · ★★★★★
ER
18.7 mi
Missouri Delta Medical Center
Sikeston · ★★★★★
ER
28.9 mi
Cross Trails Medical Center
Advance · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
30 mi
Piggott Community Hospital
Piggott · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
31.8 mi
Pemiscot County Memorial Hospital
Hayti · not rated
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Elk Township itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Elk Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Elk Township 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 Elk 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri

Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.

Get no exercise 39.9%MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 41.1%MO 36.5%
Binge drink 13.5%MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettes 23.2%MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Elk Township, betterElk Township, worseAbout the sameMissouri
Where Elk Township gets moving

255 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Elk Township adults are doing

About the same as Missouri on each measure.

1 in 3Elk Township adults feel lonely
33.1% · MO 31.7% · About the same as MO
1 in 5Elk Township adults lack social or emotional support
21.8% · MO 20.1% · About the same as MO
1 in 4Elk Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.6% · MO 24.3% · About the same as MO
1 in 5Elk Township adults are in frequent mental distress
19.4% · MO 17.5% · About the same as MO
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Elk Township 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.

Around town

Elk Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Liberty Township: 37.8%Richland Township: 38.5%Castor Township: 37.8%Duck Creek Township: 37.5%Union Township: 44.5%Cotton Hill Township: 47.8%Pike Township: 37.9%Elk Township: 41.7%Elk TownshipLiberty TownshipRichland TownshipMercy Hospital Stoddard · Dexter · 11.5 mi · 2★ MedicareHBernie Medical and Dental Center · Bernie · 8.7 mi+Cross Trails Medical Center · Advance · 28.9 mi+
Healthier than MONear MOLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#6 of 8 towns on this map, healthiest first
Liberty Township37.8%
Richland Township38.5%
Elk Township41.7%
MO36.6%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Liberty TownshipD37.8%14.5%21.8%ZIP codes
Richland TownshipD38.5%14.7%22.1%ZIP codes

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

47%

of Elk Township adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs24.2%
Thinking or memory21.9%
Hearing11.5%
Errands alone13.5%
Vision8.2%
Dressing or bathing6.5%
Missouri

Questions about health in Elk Township

Why doesn’t Elk Township have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Elk Township.

What hospital is closest to Elk Township?

Mercy Hospital Stoddard in Dexter, 11.5 miles in a straight line from Elk Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Elk Township?

1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Bernie Medical and Dental Center in Bernie, 8.7 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elk Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.