On CDC estimates, Bay Springs is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Bay Springs differs from Mississippi on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bay Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bay Springs
Stroke, cancer and heart disease run high in Bay Springs
1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.7%), vs 4.5% across Mississippi. 1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.2%), vs 7.6% across Mississippi. Heart disease is also above the state: 9%, vs 7.5% across Mississippi. In all, Bay Springs runs above Mississippi on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Bay Springs is short on primary care and mental health care
Bay Springs’ county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Bay Springs, and more people treating it
50.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Mississippi 44.9%), but 83.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 79.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Bay Springs is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bay Springs is healthier than 16%. Against the 5,900 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 40%. 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 Mississippi figure falls outside Bay Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Bay Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bay Springs is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 68% of U.S. towns); no exercise 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). Bay Springs’ median household income is $50,306; among the 5,900 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Bay Springs compares well: binge drinking, 10.7% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.7% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 88.9% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Bay Springs adults…
Bay Springs runs above MS on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bay Springs
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Bay Springs, 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 Bay 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Bay Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
Everyday habits, side by side with Mississippi
Share of adults, with the Mississippi figure marked.
How Bay Springs adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
4 in 10 Bay 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.
14.1% of Bay Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Bay Springs and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Springs | C− | 42.7% | 18.2% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bay Springs adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bay Springs
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bay Springs is better than Mississippi on 4 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Bay Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bay Springs | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.6%22.9–30.6 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%13.8–18.3 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–18.2 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%34.9–51.1 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18.2%15.8–20.7 | 15.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 50.9%46.3–55.5 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.6%36.8–46.3 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.4%31.7–39.5 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.8–11.4 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10.2 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%8.3–11.4 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.3%16.4–24.3 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.1–19.7 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 39.2%33.3–45.2 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 10.7%8.6–13.1 | 13.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3%30.3–43.9 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%9.7–14.5 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.7%81.7–87.2 | 81.5% | 77.4% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.2–90.6 | 86.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.6%81.3–85.7 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.6%58.8–69.6 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%65.4–80.8 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.2%14.3–20.5 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.4%31.1–42.1 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.8%26.5–35.5 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.5%19.7–27.4 | 22.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.4%14.7–19.9 | 16.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.4%9.7–13 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.1–13.5 | 11.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.1%11.4–16.9 | 13.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.9%35.8–46.2 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.9%19.8–26.2 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.6–19.3 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%6.9–9 | 7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.1%9.6–12.8 | 10.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.2–6.8 | 5.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Mississippi figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bay Springs
Is Bay Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bay Springs is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bay Springs?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.9% and 51.1%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bay Springs?
South Central Reg Med Ctr in Laurel, 21.8 miles in a straight line from Bay Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bay Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–14.5%), against 11.5% across Mississippi.
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 Bay 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 Bay Springs.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Mississippi 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.