Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Hernando is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Hernando beats Mississippi on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hernando. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hernando
Stroke and diabetes are less common in Hernando
Hernando runs below Mississippi on five chronic conditions, most of all stroke (3.1% vs 4.5%), diabetes (10.9% vs 15.5%) and COPD (6.2% vs 8.6%). Conditions ↓
Hernando is an active town
Only 25.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 34% across Mississippi. Habits ↓
Fewer Hernando adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Mississippi. 1 in 8 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 Hernando’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Hernando’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hernando is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #13 of 101 in Mississippi. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 80% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 53%.
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). Hernando’s median household income is $76,950; among the 10,817 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$96K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Few Mississippi towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Hernando is healthier than 88% of graded towns, against 70% nationally.
Out of every 100 Hernando adults…
Hernando runs below MS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Mississippi
Share of adults, with the Mississippi figure marked.
2.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.2% of Hernando adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Care in and near Hernando
No hospital or community health center in Hernando 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 Hernando; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Hernando adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Hernando adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Hernando does better than Mississippi.
1 in 3 Hernando 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.
Hernando and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hernando adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hernando
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hernando is better than Mississippi on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Hernando’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hernando | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.6%15.3–20.3 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.7–13.8 | 14.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.9–17.9 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34%27.9–40.6 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 15.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 37.1%33.1–41.1 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.1%33–41.5 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.6%23.5–29.8 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.1–10.5 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.4–9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.3 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.2%5.4–7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.7–13.1 | 18.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.1%11.1–15.2 | 16.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%21.4–29.5 | 34% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.6–19.6 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%29.1–40.3 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.7–10.8 | 11.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%76.6–83.2 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.8–89.2 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.6–80.3 | 79.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%59–68.6 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.6%67.6–82.2 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%17.8–24.5 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34%29.4–38.6 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.7–28.6 | 28.9% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13%11.2–15.2 | 22.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.7%9.2–12.4 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.6–7.5 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.2%5.2–7.4 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3%27.5–35.7 | 38.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.3%11.5–15.2 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%12.9–16.5 | 17.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.2–7.9 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4–4.9 | 7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%3–3.7 | 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 Hernando
Is Hernando a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hernando is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #13 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hernando?
CDC estimates 34% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.9% and 40.6%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hernando?
Baptist Memorial Hospital Desoto in Southaven, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Hernando’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hernando have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.8%), 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 Hernando 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 Hernando.
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.