Photo: Zach123abc · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Ocean Springs is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Ocean Springs differs from Mississippi on 21 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ocean Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ocean Springs
Ocean Springs is an active town
Only 23.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 34% across Mississippi. Habits ↓
Cancer runs high in Ocean Springs
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 7.6% across Mississippi. Conditions ↓
Few Ocean Springs adults smoke
10.7% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 16.9% across Mississippi. Habits ↓
Ocean Springs is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A− tops all five graded neighbors. The closest is Gulf Park Estates (B). Around town ↓
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 Ocean Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Ocean Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ocean Springs is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, #8 of 101 in Mississippi. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 91% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 45%).
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). Ocean Springs’ median household income is $79,712; among the 10,767 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$100K), it’s healthier than 87%, about where its income would put it.
Few Mississippi towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ocean Springs is healthier than 93% of graded towns, against 77% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Mississippi
Share of adults, with the Mississippi figure marked.
5.8 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Ocean Springs adults…
Ocean Springs runs below MS on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Ocean Springs and the towns around it
Ocean Springs has the best Health Grade of the 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Springs | A− | 35.1% | 12.4% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Gulf Hills | B | 38% | 12.9% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Gulf Park Estates | B | 37.5% | 11.9% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Biloxi | C+ | 35.1% | 13.5% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Gautier | C− | 43.1% | 16% | 16.7% | CDC place |
| St. Martin | C+ | 37.4% | 12.7% | 15.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Ocean Springs
No hospital or community health center in Ocean Springs 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 Ocean Springs; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Ocean Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Ocean Springs adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Ocean Springs does better than Mississippi.
1 in 3 Ocean Springs 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.1% of Ocean Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ocean Springs adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ocean Springs
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ocean Springs is better than Mississippi on 20 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Ocean Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ocean Springs | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%13.5–17.8 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.1–13.1 | 14.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.1–15.5 | 17.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.1%29.5–41.3 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.4%10.8–14.2 | 15.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 42.1%38.2–46.1 | 44.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.6%35.4–43.8 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.1–32.5 | 29.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 10% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9–11 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6%5.2–6.9 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.8%7.7–11.8 | 18.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.7%9.1–12.6 | 16.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.5%19.9–27.3 | 34% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.1–18.8 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%27.4–37.8 | 38.4% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%6.1–8.6 | 11.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79.2–85.1 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.1%88.8–91.6 | 86.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.7%78.1–83.1 | 79.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.1%64.2–73.2 | 61.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.3%69.7–83.1 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.8%16–21.8 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.9%27.5–36.5 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.3–25.8 | 28.9% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.5%7.9–11.2 | 22.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.1%6.8–9.4 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4.1–5.5 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.9–6.5 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.1%3.3–4.9 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%26–33.5 | 38.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.7%11.9–15.6 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.1%10.7–13.7 | 17.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.4 | 7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.7–7.3 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.4 | 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 Ocean Springs
Is Ocean Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ocean Springs is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #8 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 87%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ocean Springs?
CDC estimates 35.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 41.3%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ocean Springs?
Memorial Hospital Biloxi in Biloxi, 6.1 miles in a straight line from Ocean Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ocean Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.6%), 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 Ocean Springs more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ocean Springs.
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.