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Downtown Morton MSPhoto: Bart Everson · CC BY 2.0
D−Health Grade
Health in Morton · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Morton is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns

Morton differs from Mississippi on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Morton

Morton is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Morton is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓

1 in 4 working-age adults in Morton has no health insurance

23.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.5% across Mississippi. Checkups ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Morton

1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (34.9%), vs 22.4% across Mississippi. Housing insecurity (25.6% vs 16.8%) and no reliable transportation (17.5% vs 11.9%) are higher too. 22.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.6% 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 Morton’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Morton’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morton is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns, #82 of 101 in Mississippi. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 19% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).

D−Self-rated health32.3% · MS 24.4% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress18% · MS 14.8% · U.S. 13%
C−Mental distress19% · MS 17.3% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity44% · MS 40.4% · U.S. 32.9%
D−Diabetes18.2% · MS 15.5% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking20.1% smoke · MS 16.9% · U.S. 11.8%
D−Exercise44% · MS 34% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 4%
Less healthyHealthier
Mississippi towns we grade (101)Healthier than 19%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $31K–$52K (2,980)Healthier than 17%

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). Morton’s median household income is $41,863; among the 2,980 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 17%, 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 Morton is healthier than 19% of graded towns, against 4% nationally.

Where Morton compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.6% (U.S. 7.9%).

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

How TownRatings grades health →

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%Yearly checkupMS 82%
83%Cholesterol checkMS 86%
58%Colon screeningMS 62%
71%MammogramMS 74%
79%Taking BP medsMS 80%
1 in 4
working-age adults has no health insurance
Morton 23.3% · Mississippi 1 in 9 (11.5%)
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
Morton adults worry about having enough food
34.9% · MS 22.4%
Worse than MS
1 in 4
Morton adults worry about keeping their housing
25.6% · MS 16.8%
Worse than MS
1 in 6
Morton adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
16.4% · MS 11.2%
Worse than MS
1 in 6
Morton adults lack reliable transportation
17.5% · MS 11.9%
Worse than MS

22.1% of Morton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Morton adults…

Morton runs below MS on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.

5 of every 100 Morton adults have had a stroke
Mississippi: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 4.8–5.8%
Better than MSWorseAbout the sameMississippi
Getting care

Care in and near Morton

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

HNearest EROchsner Scott RegionalMorton · 0.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careFamily Health Care ClinicPelahatchie · 8.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.7 mi
Ochsner Scott Regional
Morton · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Morton
8.4 mi
Family Health Care Clinic
6 sites · nearest in Pelahatchie
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
11.1 mi
S E Lackey Memorial Hospital
Forest · not rated
ERRural critical access
20.8 mi
East Central Mississippi Health Care
2 sites · nearest in Walnut Grove
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.4 mi
Crossgates River Oaks Hospital
Brandon · ★★★★★
ER
25 mi
Smith County Emergency Hospital
Raleigh · not rated
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Morton itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Morton itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Morton 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 Morton; ≈ 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 44%MS 34%
Sleep under 7 hours 40.3%MS 38.4%
Binge drink 12.3%MS 13.6%
Smoke cigarettes 20.1%MS 16.9%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Morton, betterMorton, worseAbout the sameMississippi
Where Morton gets moving

2.1 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Morton adults are doing

About the same as Mississippi on each measure.

2 in 5Morton adults feel lonely
39.1% · MS 36.4% · About the same as MS
1 in 3Morton adults lack social or emotional support
32.5% · MS 28.9% · About the same as MS
1 in 5Morton adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.5% · MS 19.5% · About the same as MS
1 in 5Morton adults are in frequent mental distress
19% · MS 17.3% · About the same as MS
The one neighbors can help with

2 in 5 Morton 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

Morton and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
MortonD−44%18.2%20.1%CDC place
PelahatchieC−40.6%15.8%17.3%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

45.2%

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

Walking or climbing stairs23.4%
Thinking or memory22.1%
Hearing9%
Errands alone13.4%
Vision10.6%
Dressing or bathing7.4%
Mississippi

Every CDC estimate for Morton

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

On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Morton is better than Mississippi on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Morton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…MortonMSU.S.vs MS
Overall health
Fair or poor health32.3%28.7–3624.4%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)18%16–20.214.8%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)19%16.8–21.317.3%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity44%35.9–52.140.4%32.9%About the same
Diabetes18.2%16–20.515.5%12%Worse
High blood pressure44.6%40.3–4944.9%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)38.9%34.6–43.538.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis30.2%27.1–33.629.9%25.3%About the same
Asthma10.2%9–11.510%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer6.6%5.9–7.37.6%7.9%Better
Coronary heart disease8.3%7.4–9.37.5%6.4%About the same
COPD10.1%8.9–11.58.6%6.3%Worse
Stroke5.3%4.8–5.84.5%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)38.7%33.7–43.918.5%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes20.1%17.4–22.916.9%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work44%38.5–49.734%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking12.3%10–1513.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours40.3%33.7–47.438.4%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)23.3%19.7–2711.5%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year79.3%75.6–82.781.5%77.4%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years83.1%80.8–85.386.2%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)78.7%76.3–81.179.7%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)57.7%52.4–63.161.8%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)70.6%62.1–78.374%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression19.5%16.5–2319.5%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely39.1%33.9–44.736.4%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support32.5%28.3–3728.9%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food34.9%30.7–39.122.4%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing25.6%22.5–28.716.8%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off16.4%14.4–18.411.2%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation17.5%15.4–19.611.9%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)22.1%18.9–25.413.6%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability45.2%40.4–50.238.1%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs23.4%20.9–26.118.8%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering22.1%19.6–24.617.5%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty9%8–10.18.1%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty10.6%9.6–11.87%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone13.4%12–1510.4%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing7.4%6.6–8.25.3%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 Morton

Is Morton a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morton is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #82 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Morton?

CDC estimates 44% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.9% and 52.1%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Morton?

Ochsner Scott Regional in Morton, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Morton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Morton have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 23.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 19.7–27%), 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 Morton 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 Morton.

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.