Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fulton is healthier than 91%
Fulton differs from Mississippi on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fulton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fulton
Fulton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fulton is healthier than 60%. Against the 6,700 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 91%. Health Grade ↓
Fulton looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 84% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 60% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Fulton
Fulton runs below Mississippi on six chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (10.1% vs 15.5%), stroke (3.3% vs 4.5%) and COPD (6.7% vs 8.6%). Conditions ↓
Fulton is short on dental care and mental health care
Fulton’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fewer Fulton 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 Fulton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Fulton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fulton is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #17 of 101 in Mississippi. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 79% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Fulton’s median household income is $52,727; among the 6,700 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 91%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Mississippi towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Fulton is healthier than 84% of graded towns, against 60% nationally.
Out of every 100 Fulton adults…
Fulton runs below MS on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Fulton
No hospital or community health center in Fulton 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 Fulton; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.8% of Fulton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
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 Fulton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Fulton adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
2 in 5 Fulton 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.
Fulton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton | B | 32.9% | 10.1% | 12.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fulton adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fulton
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fulton is better than Mississippi on 15 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Fulton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fulton | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.4%15.8–21.6 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.1–14.5 | 14.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.1–21.1 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%25.9–40.3 | 40.4% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.8–11.7 | 15.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.6–39.3 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%31.4–39.6 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.7%23–28.6 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.7%5.9–7.8 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.7 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.9%11.2–16.9 | 18.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.3%10.3–14.3 | 16.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 29.5%24.8–34.8 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.4–18.6 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%26.5–38.9 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%7.5–12 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%75.5–82.9 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.2%80.1–85.8 | 86.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%73.5–78.1 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.8%57.3–67.8 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.5%65.2–80.6 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%17.8–24.9 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.3%33.7–44.8 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27%22.8–31.2 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.9%12.1–18.3 | 22.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.2%9.3–13.2 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.5–7.6 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%7.8–10.9 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.4–8.4 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.4%30.6–40.6 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.3–16.3 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%15.3–20.9 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.4–5.7 | 7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%7.9–10.7 | 10.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3–3.8 | 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 Fulton
Is Fulton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fulton is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #17 of 101 in Mississippi. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fulton?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 40.3%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fulton?
North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, 18.1 miles in a straight line from Fulton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fulton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–12%), 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 Fulton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fulton.
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.