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D−Health Grade
Health in Kosciusko · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Kosciusko is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns

Kosciusko differs from Mississippi on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kosciusko. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Kosciusko

Kosciusko is in the bottom 5% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Kosciusko is healthier than only 5% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Kosciusko

1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.1%), vs 22.4% across Mississippi. Utility shut-off threats (16.2% vs 11.2%) and housing insecurity (22.8% vs 16.8%) are higher too. 22.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Stroke, COPD and heart disease run high in Kosciusko

1 in 17 adults have had a stroke (5.9%), vs 4.5% across Mississippi. 1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.8%), vs 8.6% across Mississippi. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.1%, vs 7.5% across Mississippi. In all, Kosciusko runs above Mississippi on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Kosciusko is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Kosciusko is healthier than 5%. Against the 2,413 towns with similar household incomes ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 27%. 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 Kosciusko’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Kosciusko’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kosciusko is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns, #77 of 101 in Mississippi. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 22% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 2%).

DSelf-rated health30.1% · MS 24.4% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress17% · MS 14.8% · U.S. 13%
C−Mental distress18.7% · MS 17.3% · U.S. 15.9%
D−Obesity45.6% · MS 40.4% · U.S. 32.9%
D−Diabetes18.6% · MS 15.5% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking19.9% smoke · MS 16.9% · U.S. 11.8%
D−Exercise41% · MS 34% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 5%
Less healthyHealthier
Mississippi towns we grade (101)Healthier than 24%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $30K–$50K (2,413)Healthier than 27%

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). Kosciusko’s median household income is $40,085; among the 2,413 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 27%, 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 Kosciusko is healthier than 24% of graded towns, against 5% nationally.

Where Kosciusko compares well: binge drinking, 11% (U.S. 15.4%).

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Kosciusko could be anywhere from D− to C−.

How TownRatings grades health →

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 3
Kosciusko adults worry about having enough food
31.1% · MS 22.4%
Worse than MS
1 in 4
Kosciusko adults worry about keeping their housing
22.8% · MS 16.8%
Worse than MS
1 in 6
Kosciusko adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
16.2% · MS 11.2%
Worse than MS
1 in 6
Kosciusko adults lack reliable transportation
16.1% · MS 11.9%
Worse than MS

22.2% of Kosciusko adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Kosciusko adults…

Kosciusko runs above MS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

6 of every 100 Kosciusko adults have had a stroke
Mississippi: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 5.4–6.4%
Better than MSWorseAbout the sameMississippi
Getting care

Care in and near Kosciusko

1 hospital in Kosciusko, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERBaptist Medical Center AttalaKosciusko · 0.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careDr. Arenia C. Mallory Community Health CenterDurant · 15.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.6 mi
Baptist Medical Center Attala
Kosciusko · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Kosciusko
15.3 mi
Dr. Arenia C. Mallory Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Durant
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
20.2 mi
Baptist Medical Center-Leake
Carthage · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
22.4 mi
G. A. Carmichael Family Health Center
Carthage · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
25.2 mi
Holmes County Hospital and Clinics
Lexington · not rated
ERRural critical access
29.6 mi
Choctaw Regional Medical Center
Ackerman · not rated
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Kosciusko itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Kosciusko itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Kosciusko itself

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 Kosciusko; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Mississippi

Share of adults, with the Mississippi figure marked.

Get no exercise 41%MS 34%
Sleep under 7 hours 40.6%MS 38.4%
Binge drink 11%MS 13.6%
Smoke cigarettes 19.9%MS 16.9%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Kosciusko, betterKosciusko, worseAbout the sameMississippi
Where Kosciusko gets moving

0.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Kosciusko adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.

83%Yearly checkupMS 82%
86%Cholesterol checkMS 86%
61%Colon screeningMS 62%
71%MammogramMS 74%
81%Taking BP medsMS 80%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
Kosciusko 13.7% · Mississippi 1 in 9 (11.5%)
Mind & connection

How Kosciusko adults are doing

About the same as Mississippi on each measure.

4 in 10Kosciusko adults feel lonely
37.2% · MS 36.4% · About the same as MS
1 in 3Kosciusko adults lack social or emotional support
31.4% · MS 28.9% · About the same as MS
1 in 5Kosciusko adults have been diagnosed with depression
19% · MS 19.5% · About the same as MS
1 in 5Kosciusko adults are in frequent mental distress
18.7% · MS 17.3% · About the same as MS
The one neighbors can help with

4 in 10 Kosciusko adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Kosciusko and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
KosciuskoD−45.6%18.6%19.9%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

43.1%

of Kosciusko adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs23.8%
Thinking or memory19.9%
Hearing9.4%
Errands alone13.3%
Vision9.6%
Dressing or bathing7.2%
Mississippi

Every CDC estimate for Kosciusko

Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kosciusko is better than Mississippi on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Kosciusko’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…KosciuskoMSU.S.vs MS
Overall health
Fair or poor health30.1%26.7–33.924.4%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)17%15.1–19.214.8%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18.7%16.6–20.917.3%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity45.6%37.9–53.540.4%32.9%About the same
Diabetes18.6%16.4–20.915.5%12%Worse
High blood pressure50.6%46.4–54.944.9%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)39.4%35.3–43.738.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis34%30.6–37.529.9%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.9%9.6–12.210%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer7.6%6.9–8.47.6%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease9.1%8.2–10.17.5%6.4%Worse
COPD10.8%9.5–12.18.6%6.3%Worse
Stroke5.9%5.4–6.44.5%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)28.5%24.4–33.418.5%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.9%17.2–22.816.9%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work41%35.7–46.634%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking11%8.9–13.313.6%15.4%Better
Sleep under 7 hours40.6%34.6–47.438.4%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)13.7%11.5–16.211.5%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year83.1%80.1–85.881.5%77.4%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.8%83.9–87.786.2%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)81.4%79.2–83.579.7%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)61.4%56.4–66.761.8%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)71%62.8–78.874%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression19%16.1–22.219.5%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely37.2%31.7–42.836.4%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support31.4%27–35.928.9%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food31.1%27–34.922.4%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing22.8%19.8–25.816.8%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off16.2%14–18.411.2%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation16.1%14.2–18.111.9%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)22.2%19–25.513.6%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability43.1%38.5–4838.1%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs23.8%21.2–26.718.8%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering19.9%17.7–22.317.5%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty9.4%8.4–10.48.1%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty9.6%8.7–10.67%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone13.3%11.8–14.910.4%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing7.2%6.5–85.3%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 Kosciusko

Is Kosciusko a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kosciusko is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #77 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Kosciusko?

CDC estimates 45.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.9% and 53.5%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Kosciusko?

Baptist Medical Center Attala in Kosciusko, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Kosciusko’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Kosciusko have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.5–16.2%), 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 Kosciusko 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 Kosciusko.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.