Photo: formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0Within Mississippi, Iuka is healthier than 56% of graded towns
Iuka differs from Mississippi on 11 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Iuka. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Iuka
Iuka looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 56% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 17% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Iuka is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Iuka is healthier than 17%. Against the 5,518 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 43%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Iuka
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 7.6% across Mississippi. 1 in 9 adults have COPD (11%), vs 8.6% across Mississippi. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.5%, vs 7.5% across Mississippi. In all, Iuka runs above Mississippi on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Mississippi 17%), and cancer, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Iuka 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 Iuka’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Iuka’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Iuka is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #45 of 101 in Mississippi. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 51% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Iuka’s median household income is $49,290; among the 5,518 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 43%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Iuka compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.3% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Iuka adults…
Iuka runs above MS on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Iuka is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Mississippi. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Iuka as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.1% of Iuka adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Care in and near Iuka
1 hospital in Iuka, 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 Iuka; ≈ 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.
0.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Iuka adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Iuka adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Iuka does better than Mississippi.
1 in 3 Iuka 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.
Iuka and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iuka | C− | 38.9% | 15.6% | 17.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Iuka adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Iuka
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Iuka is better than Mississippi on 6 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Iuka’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Iuka | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25%21.5–28.8 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.8–19.3 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.9–19.4 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.9%31.2–47.3 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.6%13.4–18 | 15.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 46%41.8–50.6 | 44.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.8%38.4–47.6 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.6%32.8–40.5 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.6–11.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11%9.3–12.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.2%18.4–26.1 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.6%14.9–20.8 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 35.2%30–40.9 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.4%10.9–16.2 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%28.4–41.5 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%8.6–13.2 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.6%78.2–84.6 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.8–88.7 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.3%79.9–84.5 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.4%54.9–65.7 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.9%61.1–77.5 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.4–25.6 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.1%27.9–38.4 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.1–28.8 | 28.9% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.5%14.5–20.9 | 22.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%10.1–14 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.1%6.9–9.4 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.2–11 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.1%8.2–12.3 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.2%36.2–46.4 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.6%18.7–24.8 | 18.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%15.4–20.5 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.2–8 | 7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.1%9.6–12.8 | 10.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%4.7–6.3 | 5.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Iuka
Is Iuka a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Iuka is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #45 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Iuka?
CDC estimates 38.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 47.3%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Iuka?
Tishomingo Health Services in Iuka, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Iuka’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Iuka have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–13.2%), 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 Iuka more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Iuka.
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.