Photo: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, NPS from St. Louis, MO, USA · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, St. Louis is healthier than 58%
St. Louis differs from Missouri on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Louis. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Louis
St. Louis is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, St. Louis is healthier than 33%. Against the 7,771 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 58%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in St. Louis
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (22%), vs 13.7% across Missouri. Utility shut-off threats (15.6% vs 9%) and housing insecurity (19.4% vs 12.1%) are higher too. 19.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More St. Louis adults lack emotional support
1 in 4 adults lack social or emotional support (25.5%), vs 20.1% across Missouri. Loneliness is above the state too: 36.4%, vs 31.7% across Missouri. Mind & connection ↓
Health varies a lot right around St. Louis
Grades next door run from Clayton (A+) to East St. Louis (D−). St. Louis is a C. Around town ↓
St. Louis has five hospitals within its borders
5 hospitals and 4 community health centers are inside St. Louis. Barnes Jewish Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 St. Louis’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind St. Louis’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Louis is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns, #119 of 247 in Missouri. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 56% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). St. Louis’ median household income is $56,160; among the 7,771 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 58%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Missouri towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state St. Louis is healthier than 52% of graded towns, against 33% nationally.
Where St. Louis compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 32.3% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.9% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 278,144 residents, St. Louis is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.9% of St. Louis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
How St. Louis adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, St. Louis runs above Missouri.
4 in 10 St. Louis 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.
Care in and near St. Louis
5 hospitals and 4 community health centers in St. Louis.
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 St. Louis; ≈ 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).
St. Louis and the towns around it
St. Louis’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | C | 36.8% | 13.2% | 16.8% | CDC place |
| Lemay | C | 32.7% | 12% | 19.2% | CDC place |
| Glasgow Village | D− | 48.4% | 17.6% | 28.8% | CDC place |
| Clayton | A+ | 23.9% | 6.9% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| Riverview | D | 42.6% | 15.4% | 21.4% | CDC place |
| Richmond Heights | A+ | 27.3% | 7.9% | 9% | CDC place |
| Spanish Lake | D− | 43.5% | 17.2% | 21.2% | CDC place |
| Bellefontaine Neighbors | D− | 45.9% | 21.1% | 23.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 St. Louis adults…
St. Louis runs below MO on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
38 miles of trails across 132 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Louis adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Louis adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Louis
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Louis is better than Missouri on 5 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside St. Louis’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Louis | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%20.7–25 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.3–15.2 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.9–20.7 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.8%32.8–40.9 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.8–14.7 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36%33.2–38.9 | 36.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.3%29.4–35.3 | 37.5% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 24.2%22–26.5 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.6–13.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.4%6.7–8.1 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%16.2–21.9 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.8%14.9–18.7 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.1%24.2–30.1 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%15.5–20.5 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.8%34–41.8 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%77.1–82.3 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.1%53–59.1 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%81.4–85 | 84.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%71.1–76 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.6%60.5–68.4 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.5%75.2–85 | 74.7% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%21.4–27 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.4%32.6–40.2 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.5–28.5 | 20.1% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22%19.8–24.1 | 13.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.4%17.4–21.5 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.6%14–17.3 | 9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.9%11.6–14.2 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.9%18–21.8 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.4%32.2–38.6 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%14.6–17.8 | 15.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19%17.2–20.8 | 17.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.2–7.3 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.8–11.8 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 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 St. Louis
Is St. Louis a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Louis is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #119 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 St. Louis?
CDC estimates 36.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 40.9%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Louis?
SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital in Saint Louis, 0.9 miles in a straight line from St. Louis’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Louis have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–10.7%), 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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis.
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.