Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Willow Springs is healthier than 50%
Willow Springs trails Missouri on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Willow Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Willow Springs
Dental care lags in Willow Springs
48.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 60.4% across Missouri. Among those 65 and older, 29.1% have lost all their teeth (Missouri 15.8%). Checkups ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Willow Springs
1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.9%), vs 8% across Missouri. 1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (5%), vs 3.6% across Missouri. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.4%, vs 6.8% across Missouri. In all, Willow Springs runs above Missouri on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Willow Springs adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35.1%), vs 28.8% across Missouri. Habits ↓
Willow Springs is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Willow Springs is healthier than 11%. Against the 2,818 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 50%. 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 Willow Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Willow Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow Springs is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 53% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Willow Springs’ median household income is $41,406; among the 2,818 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Willow Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Out of every 100 Willow Springs adults…
Willow Springs runs above MO on 8 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Willow Springs
No hospital or community health center in Willow Springs 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 Willow Springs; ≈ 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 Willow Springs adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
1 in 3 Willow Springs 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.
15.3% of Willow Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Willow Springs and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Springs | D | 35.8% | 14.7% | 20.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Willow Springs adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Willow Springs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Willow Springs is better than Missouri on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Willow Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Willow Springs | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.6%24.3–31.5 | 20.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.1–20.5 | 14.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.4–21.8 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.8%28.3–44.1 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.7–16.7 | 12.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.8%36.6–45.1 | 36.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.3%35–44 | 37.5% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.5%32–39.2 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–13 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.1–11.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.5–10.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.9%10.5–13.6 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.5–5.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 29.1%24.7–33.8 | 15.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.4%17.7–23.6 | 16% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.1%30–40.6 | 28.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.2–16.9 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%33.4–46.4 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.9%8.9–13.3 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.9%75.3–82.2 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.9%45.1–52.9 | 60.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%80.5–84.7 | 84.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.5–81.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.8%54.5–65.1 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.5%61.2–77.2 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.8%23.1–30.9 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%27.9–38.1 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.8%17.5–24.2 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.9%15.1–21.1 | 13.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.8%11.8–16.2 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.3%12.8–18.1 | 10.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.6%39.9–49.6 | 36.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%19.5–25.1 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.4%19–24.2 | 17.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 8.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.2%6.4–8.2 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.7%11.3–14.5 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 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 Willow Springs
Is Willow Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow Springs is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns: D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Willow Springs?
CDC estimates 35.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.3% and 44.1%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Willow Springs?
Mercy St. Francis Hospital in Mountain View, 14.3 miles in a straight line from Willow Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Willow Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–13.3%), 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 Willow Springs 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 Willow Springs.
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.