Photo: Chillin662 · CC BY-SA 4.0Belzoni’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Belzoni differs from Mississippi on 23 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Belzoni. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Belzoni
Belzoni is in the bottom 1% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Belzoni is healthier than only 1% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Stroke, diabetes and COPD run high in Belzoni
1 in 13 adults have had a stroke (7.5%), vs 4.5% across Mississippi. 1 in 4 adults have diabetes (24.8%), vs 15.5% across Mississippi. COPD is also above the state: 12.9%, vs 8.6% across Mississippi. In all, Belzoni runs above Mississippi on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Mississippi 17%), and stroke, diabetes and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Belzoni
42.8% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 22.4% across Mississippi (about twice the Mississippi rate). Utility shut-off threats (23.4% vs 11.2%) and no reliable transportation (22.1% vs 11.9%) are higher too. 34.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More high blood pressure in Belzoni, and more people treating it
57.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Mississippi 44.9%), but 82.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 79.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Belzoni’s likely range.
What’s behind Belzoni’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belzoni is near the bottom of U.S. towns. All seven of Belzoni’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is obesity: 53.7% of adults, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
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). Belzoni’s median household income is $34,318; among the 1,145 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Belzoni compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.3% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 9.2% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.7% (U.S. 77.4%).
Out of every 100 Belzoni adults…
Belzoni runs below MS on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Belzoni is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Mississippi. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Belzoni 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.
34.2% of Belzoni adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Keeping up with care
Share of Belzoni adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
Care in and near Belzoni
No hospital or community health center in Belzoni 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 Belzoni; ≈ 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.
How Belzoni adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Belzoni runs above Mississippi.
2 in 5 Belzoni 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.
Belzoni and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belzoni | D− | 53.7% | 24.8% | 23.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Belzoni adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Belzoni
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Belzoni is better than Mississippi on 4 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Belzoni’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Belzoni | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 37.9%32.7–43.5 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%16.7–22.5 | 14.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%16.8–22.3 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 53.7%45.3–62.5 | 40.4% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 24.8%21.8–28.1 | 15.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 57.7%53.2–62.4 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.8%36.3–45.7 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.7%31.8–39.8 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.3–13.6 | 10% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.6–7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.9%10.8–15.2 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 38.3%33–43.6 | 18.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23.6%19.4–28.1 | 16.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 48%41.3–54.8 | 34% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 9.2%7.4–11.4 | 13.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.4%37.1–51.6 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16%12.1–20.2 | 11.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.7%81.7–87.5 | 81.5% | 77.4% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%82.9–87.9 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.5%80.1–84.7 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.4%50.4–62.3 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%60.5–77.5 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.4%15.2–21.9 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 40%34.2–46.1 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 35.4%30.1–40.7 | 28.9% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 42.8%35.7–49.4 | 22.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 30.3%25.1–35.1 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 23.4%19.7–27.1 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 22.1%18.4–25.7 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 34.2%27.6–40.3 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 48.3%42.4–54.6 | 38.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 29.5%25.4–33.8 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.3%19–25.9 | 17.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 13.4%11.4–15.5 | 7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 16.4%13.9–19.2 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 10.5%8.8–12.3 | 5.3% | 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 Mississippi figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Belzoni
Is Belzoni a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belzoni is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Belzoni?
CDC estimates 53.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 45.3% and 62.5%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Belzoni?
South Sunflower County Hospital in Indianola, 21.3 miles in a straight line from Belzoni’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Belzoni have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.1–20.2%), 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 Belzoni more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Belzoni.
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.