Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fulton is healthier than 62%
Fulton differs from Missouri on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fulton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fulton
Making ends meet is harder in Fulton
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.1%), vs 13.7% across Missouri. No reliable transportation (10.6% vs 8.4%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓
The nearest ER is 21 miles from Fulton
The closest emergency room is Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, 20.8 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Chccm- Fulton Clinic is closer (1.7 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Fulton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fulton is healthier than 29%. Against the 6,280 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 62%. Health Grade ↓
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 Fulton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Fulton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fulton is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns, #128 of 247 in Missouri. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 65% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Fulton’s median household income is $51,429; among the 6,280 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 62%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Missouri towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Fulton is healthier than 48% of graded towns, against 29% nationally.
Where Fulton compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
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 Fulton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Care in and near Fulton
2 community health centers in Fulton, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Fulton; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Fulton adults…
Fulton runs below MO on 2 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.
11 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fulton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
How Fulton adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
1 in 3 Fulton 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.
Fulton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton | C | 37.5% | 11.1% | 18% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fulton adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fulton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fulton is better than Missouri on 2 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Fulton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fulton | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.3%19.4–25.6 | 20.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.7–16.4 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.5–22.3 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%30–45.6 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.6–12.6 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.5–38.4 | 36.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%30.4–38.4 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.5%22.7–28.5 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.4%13.4–19.7 | 15.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.3–20.9 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.4%25.7–35.4 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%14.8–21.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%32.3–45.8 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.4%8.4–12.8 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.1%71.1–78.8 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.1%52.3–59.9 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.3%75.4–81 | 84.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.9–75.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.4%57.2–67.4 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%67.9–82 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%21.8–29.4 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%28–38.6 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%17.9–24.9 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.1%14.2–20.4 | 13.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.3%12–16.6 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.5%9–12.1 | 9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.6%9.1–12.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.7%11.4–16.4 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.1%33.3–43 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.2%13.3–17.2 | 15.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.6%18–23.3 | 17.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7.1–9 | 8.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.3–12.1 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 3.9% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Fulton
Is Fulton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fulton is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #128 of 247 in Missouri. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fulton?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 45.6%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fulton?
Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, 20.8 miles in a straight line from Fulton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fulton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–12.8%), 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 Fulton 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 Fulton.
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.