Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0Within Missouri, Union is healthier than 62% of graded towns
Union beats Missouri on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Union. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Union
Union is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Union’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Union looks healthier next to Missouri than next to the country
It’s healthier than 62% of the 247 Missouri towns we grade, but 42% of towns nationwide. Much of Missouri scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Union has a community health center but no hospital
Compass Health is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Mercy Hospital Washington in Washington, 7.9 miles away. 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 Union’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Union’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Union is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, #95 of 247 in Missouri. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 77% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Union’s median household income is $73,435; among the 10,777 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Union
1 community health center in Union, 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 Union; ≈ 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 Union adults…
Union runs below MO on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Union residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Missouri. Heart disease, stroke and diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
2.3 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Union adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
How Union adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
3 in 10 Union 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.
9.2% of Union adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Union and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union | C+ | 38.9% | 10.3% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Union adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Union
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Union is better than Missouri on 3 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Union’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Union | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.4%17–22.1 | 20.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.4–15.8 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.5–20.9 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.9%32.2–46.2 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33%29.4–36.9 | 36.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%32–40 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.3%24.3–30.4 | 28.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.5%6.6–8.4 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.8%12.1–17.8 | 15.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.3%14.1–18.8 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.3%24.2–32.8 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.9%15.7–22.4 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%29.7–42.4 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%7.1–10.1 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.8%73.1–80.3 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.2%53.4–60.9 | 60.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.8%80.4–84.8 | 84.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.9%72–77.7 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63%57.9–67.8 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.5%64.4–79.5 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.8%23.2–30.8 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%26.1–35.3 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.7%16.6–22.8 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.2%10.1–14.4 | 13.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.1%9.4–13 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.7–9 | 9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.7–8.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.2%7.7–10.9 | 10.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.4%31.3–39.9 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.3–16 | 15.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16–20.3 | 17.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 8.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–5 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8–10.1 | 9.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Union
Is Union a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Union is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #95 of 247 in Missouri. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Union?
CDC estimates 38.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 46.2%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Union?
Mercy Hospital Washington in Washington, 7.9 miles in a straight line from Union’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Union have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10.1%), 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 Union more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Union.
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.