Photo: Jimmy Emerson from Dalton GA · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Indianola is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Indianola differs from Mississippi on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Indianola. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Indianola
Indianola is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Indianola is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Indianola
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (35.1%), vs 22.4% across Mississippi. Utility shut-off threats (18.9% vs 11.2%) and housing insecurity (26.1% vs 16.8%) are higher too. 25.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Indianola is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Indianola’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Indianola is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Indianola is healthier than 6%. Against the 2,922 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 30%. 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 Indianola’s likely range.
What’s behind Indianola’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indianola is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #73 of 101 in Mississippi. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 32% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Indianola’s median household income is $41,708; among the 2,922 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 30%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Mississippi towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Indianola is healthier than 28% of graded towns, against 6% nationally.
Where Indianola compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 10.8% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.7% (U.S. 77.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.5% of Indianola adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Care in and near Indianola
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Indianola, 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 Indianola; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Indianola adults…
Indianola runs below MS on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Mississippi
Share of adults, with the Mississippi figure marked.
1.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Indianola adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Indianola adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Indianola runs above Mississippi.
2 in 5 Indianola 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.
Indianola and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianola | D | 48.6% | 20% | 19.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Indianola adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Indianola
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Indianola is better than Mississippi on 3 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Indianola’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Indianola | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.6%26.5–34.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.1–18.6 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%15.8–20.6 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 48.6%40.5–56.5 | 40.4% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 20%17.5–22.8 | 15.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 51.5%47–56 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%33.5–42.4 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.2%27.7–34.9 | 29.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–13 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.9–8.9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.5%8.1–11.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25.2%21.2–29.7 | 18.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.4%16.2–22.9 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 40.4%34.8–46.5 | 34% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.8%8.7–13.2 | 13.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.5%35.9–49.5 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.6%10.9–16.7 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.7%81.7–87.4 | 81.5% | 77.4% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.6–88.5 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.8%79.4–84.2 | 79.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.4%58.2–68.7 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%67.3–82.1 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.8%13.9–19.9 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.4%33.8–45.1 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.5%29.9–39.2 | 28.9% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.1%30.3–39.9 | 22.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.1%22.5–29.9 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18.9%16.3–21.7 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 18%15.6–20.6 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.5%21.4–29.9 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.2%37–47.7 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.5%20.5–26.9 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.5%16.9–22.3 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.8 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.1%11.3–15 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.9%6.8–9.1 | 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 Indianola
Is Indianola a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indianola is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #73 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Indianola?
CDC estimates 48.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 40.5% and 56.5%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Indianola?
South Sunflower County Hospital in Indianola, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Indianola’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Indianola have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.9–16.7%), 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 Indianola 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 Indianola.
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.