Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Within Mississippi, Guntown is healthier than 72% of graded towns
Guntown differs from Mississippi on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Guntown. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Guntown
Guntown looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 72% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 44% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Guntown doesn’t win on
16.5% of adults binge drink, vs 13.6% across Mississippi. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Guntown trails towns with similar incomes
Guntown is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, and only 24% of the 9,212 towns with similar household incomes ($72K–$120K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Stroke and heart disease are less common in Guntown
Guntown runs below Mississippi on six chronic conditions, most of all stroke (3.1% vs 4.5%), heart disease (5.3% vs 7.5%) and diabetes (11.3% vs 15.5%). A young population is part of it: only 6% of residents are 65 or older (Mississippi 17%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Guntown adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Mississippi. 1 in 6 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 Guntown’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Guntown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Guntown is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #29 of 101 in Mississippi. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 67% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Guntown’s median household income is $95,625; among the 9,212 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 24%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Guntown compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.4% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5.3% (U.S. 6.4%).
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.
Out of every 100 Guntown adults…
Guntown runs below MS on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of Guntown residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Mississippi. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9% of Guntown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Care in and near Guntown
No hospital or community health center in Guntown 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 Guntown; ≈ 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 Guntown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Guntown adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
2 in 5 Guntown 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.
Guntown and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Guntown adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Guntown
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Guntown is better than Mississippi on 13 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Guntown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Guntown | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%17.5–23.5 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.4–14.9 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.1–20.8 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%29.4–41.4 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.7–13.1 | 15.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 38.4%34.6–42.6 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%31.6–39.4 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.3%21.5–27.4 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.7–6 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.2–16.6 | 18.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%13.4–19.2 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.5%25.9–35.7 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.7–19.7 | 13.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.8%28.5–39.6 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%8.5–12.9 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%74.9–81.9 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82–86.8 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%70.9–77 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.1%55.1–65 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.8%64.8–79.8 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%18.9–25.7 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.3%34.2–44.2 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.1%24.1–32.2 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%14.5–20.8 | 22.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.8%11.6–16.1 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.2–9.9 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.2–11 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9%7.1–10.9 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%29.6–38.7 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.6%11.7–15.6 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18%15.5–20.7 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.6–10.2 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.2 | 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 Guntown
Is Guntown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Guntown is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #29 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 24%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Guntown?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 41.4%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Guntown?
North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, 14.2 miles in a straight line from Guntown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Guntown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.5–12.9%), 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 Guntown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Guntown.
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.