Photo: Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA · CC BY 2.0Within Mississippi, Bay St. Louis is healthier than 69% of graded towns
Bay St. Louis differs from Mississippi on 11 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bay St. Louis. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bay St. Louis
Bay St. Louis looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 69% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 41% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in Bay St. Louis
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.1%), vs 7.6% across Mississippi. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Mississippi 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Bay St. Louis adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Mississippi. 1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food, vs 22.4% of adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 St. Louis’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Bay St. Louis’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bay St. Louis is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns, #32 of 101 in Mississippi. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 19%).
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 St. Louis’ median household income is $67,442; among the 10,262 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 54%, about where its income would put it.
Where Bay St. Louis compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 8.9% (U.S. 11%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 89% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Bay St. Louis adults…
Bay St. Louis runs below MS on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Bay St. Louis is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Mississippi. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bay St. Louis as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.8% of Bay St. Louis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Care in and near Bay St. Louis
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Bay St. Louis, 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 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Mississippi
Share of adults, with the Mississippi figure marked.
6.9 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bay St. Louis adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Bay St. Louis adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bay St. Louis does better than Mississippi.
1 in 3 Bay 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.
Bay St. Louis and the towns around it
Bay St. Louis’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay St. Louis | C+ | 37.1% | 14.5% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Waveland | C | 38.9% | 14% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Diamondhead | B+ | 32.7% | 12.7% | 11% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bay St. Louis adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bay St. Louis
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bay St. Louis is better than Mississippi on 10 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Bay St. Louis’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bay St. Louis | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%18.3–23.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.6–16.4 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.5–17.3 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%29.6–45.1 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.5%12.5–16.7 | 15.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.9%39.5–48.5 | 44.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.6%38.1–47.5 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.2%29.5–37.2 | 29.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.6 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.1–11.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.1–9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 4.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.9%12.3–17.9 | 18.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%12.4–17.2 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.1%25.4–35.2 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.4–16.8 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%27.7–40.9 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.4–10.6 | 11.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%78.9–85.2 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89%87.5–90.5 | 86.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.5%79.9–84.9 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.9%61.6–71.7 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%66.8–81.7 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%15.9–22.4 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%26.6–36.6 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.1%20.4–27.9 | 28.9% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.2%12–16.6 | 22.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.3–12.7 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6–8.1 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%7–9.1 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%6.4–9.4 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.9%31.4–40.7 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%15.4–20.2 | 18.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%13.1–16.6 | 17.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.7–9.8 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–5 | 5.3% | 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 Mississippi figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bay St. Louis
Is Bay St. Louis a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bay St. Louis is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #32 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 54%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bay St. Louis?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 45.1%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bay St. Louis?
Ochsner Medical Center-Hancock in Bay Saint Louis, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Bay St. Louis’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bay St. Louis have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–10.6%), 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 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 Bay St. Louis.
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.