Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki ([email protected]) · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Coldwater is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns
Coldwater differs from Mississippi on 9 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Coldwater. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Coldwater
Making ends meet is harder in Coldwater
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (30%), vs 22.4% across Mississippi. Utility shut-off threats (15.5% vs 11.2%) and housing insecurity (23.1% vs 16.8%) are higher too. 19.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Diabetes and stroke run high in Coldwater
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (19%), vs 15.5% across Mississippi. 1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.5%), vs 4.5% across Mississippi. Conditions ↓
Coldwater is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Coldwater is healthier than 11%. Against the 3,689 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), 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 Coldwater’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Coldwater’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Coldwater is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 37% of U.S. towns); diabetes 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). Coldwater’s median household income is $44,054; among the 3,689 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Coldwater compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.1% of Coldwater adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Out of every 100 Coldwater adults…
Coldwater runs below MS on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Coldwater
1 community health center in Coldwater, 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 Coldwater; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Coldwater adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Coldwater adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Coldwater runs above Mississippi.
2 in 5 Coldwater 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.
Coldwater and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coldwater | D | 42.7% | 19% | 18% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Coldwater adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Coldwater
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Coldwater is better than Mississippi on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Coldwater’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Coldwater | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.2%24.2–32.8 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.5–18 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.5–20.3 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%34.7–50.9 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19%16.5–21.7 | 15.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.5%45.1–54 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%34.3–43.4 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.4%27.7–35 | 29.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.6–12.5 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.4–6.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.6%7.3–10.2 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 5.5%4.8–6.1 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.9%17.3–25 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%14.9–21.4 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 38.7%32.6–44.9 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11.5%9.2–14.1 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.4%36.4–50.6 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%9.5–15 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.5%80.2–86.3 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85–89.1 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.5%79–83.7 | 79.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.6%56.2–66.8 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%66.4–81.5 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%14.6–20.7 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.9%34.6–45.8 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.3%29.5–39.3 | 28.9% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 30%25.2–35.1 | 22.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.1%19.4–26.9 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.5%13–17.9 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.1%12.9–17.6 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.1%15.3–23.3 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.4%35.1–46.1 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%19.1–25.6 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.4%15.8–21.3 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.8–7.6 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 8.6%7.4–9.9 | 7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.1–13.7 | 10.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.6%5.7–7.7 | 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 Coldwater
Is Coldwater a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Coldwater is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns: D 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 Coldwater?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.7% and 50.9%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Coldwater?
Highland Hills Medical Center in Senatobia, 4.7 miles in a straight line from Coldwater’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Coldwater have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.5–15%), 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 Coldwater 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 Coldwater.
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.