Hodgson-Aid Mill · Photo: Vsmith · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Gainesville residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Gainesville, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gainesville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gainesville
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Gainesville
1 in 6 adults have COPD (18.1%), more than twice the Missouri rate. 1 in 14 adults have had a stroke (7.4%), about twice the Missouri rate. Heart disease is also above the state: 13.5%, vs 6.8% across Missouri. In all, Gainesville runs above Missouri on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Missouri 18%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Gainesville adults get no exercise
45.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 28.8% across Missouri. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Gainesville
45.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 60.4% across Missouri. Among those 65 and older, 26.7% 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 Gainesville’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Gainesville adults…
Gainesville runs above MO on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Gainesville is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Missouri. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Gainesville as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gainesville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Care in and near Gainesville
1 community health center in Gainesville, 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 Gainesville; ≈ 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 Gainesville adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Gainesville runs above Missouri.
1 in 3 Gainesville 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.
26.3% of Gainesville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Gainesville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gainesville adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Gainesville
Why doesn’t Gainesville have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Gainesville.
What hospital is closest to Gainesville?
Baxter Health in Mountain Home, 18.3 miles in a straight line from Gainesville’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 Gainesville?
1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Douglas County Public HLTH SRV. Group in Gainesville, 0.5 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gainesville.
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.