On CDC estimates, Shell Knob is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Shell Knob differs from Missouri on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shell Knob. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shell Knob
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Shell Knob
1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.9%), about twice the Missouri rate. 1 in 7 adults have COPD (14%), vs 8% across Missouri. Stroke is also above the state: 6.3%, vs 3.6% across Missouri. In all, Shell Knob runs above Missouri on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Missouri 18%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Shell Knob, and more people treating it
51.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Missouri 36.5%), but 86.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
In Shell Knob, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 8.6% of working-age adults are uninsured (Missouri 8.7%), yet 27.1% say their health is fair or poor, vs 20.5% across the state. Checkups ↓
Shell Knob is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Shell Knob is healthier than 18%. Against the 7,394 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 34%. 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 Shell Knob’s likely range.
What’s behind Shell Knob’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shell Knob is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Shell Knob’s median household income is $54,925; among the 7,394 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Shell Knob compares well: binge drinking, 10.9% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.4% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 90.1% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Shell Knob adults…
Shell Knob runs above MO on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Shell Knob is an older town: 38% 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 Shell Knob as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shell Knob adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Care in and near Shell Knob
No hospital or community health center in Shell Knob 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 Shell Knob; ≈ 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.
How Shell Knob adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Shell Knob does better than Missouri.
3 in 10 Shell Knob 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.
10.7% of Shell Knob adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Shell Knob and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Knob | C− | 38.4% | 18.7% | 18% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shell Knob adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shell Knob
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shell Knob is better than Missouri on 9 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Shell Knob’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shell Knob | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.1%24–30.5 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%17.1–21.1 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13.2–16.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.4%32.5–44.7 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18.7%16.8–20.9 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 51.3%47.6–54.9 | 36.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 48.4%44.8–52.4 | 37.5% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 44.8%41.5–48.2 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.4–11.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 14.7%13.5–15.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.9%11.8–14.2 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14%12.3–15.9 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%16.4–21.9 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.6–20.6 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 36.9%32.6–41.8 | 28.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.9%9.4–12.7 | 16.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%28.9–38.7 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.1–10.4 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.4%82.3–86.4 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.3%54.4–60.2 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.1%88.9–91.2 | 84.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 86.4%84.5–88.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%64.4–72 | 64% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.5%68.4–79.9 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%19.5–24.9 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.9%25.4–32.8 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.8%15.5–20.4 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.6%10.7–14.9 | 13.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9%7.8–10.3 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6.2–7.9 | 9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.4–8.2 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.7%8.9–12.7 | 10.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.6%41.6–49.9 | 36.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 25.6%22.8–28.7 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.7–18.4 | 17.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 14.9%13.7–16.4 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.3–7.9 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.7%5.1–6.5 | 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 Shell Knob
Is Shell Knob a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shell Knob is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shell Knob?
CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 44.7%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shell Knob?
Mercy Hospital - Cassville in Cassville, 16.2 miles in a straight line from Shell Knob’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Shell Knob have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10.4%), 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 Shell Knob 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 Shell Knob.
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.