Photo: J.gadbois · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Pascagoula is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Pascagoula trails Mississippi on 5 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pascagoula. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pascagoula
Pascagoula looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 41% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 9% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Pascagoula is in the bottom 9% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Pascagoula is healthier than only 9% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on self-rated health, obesity, diabetes and exercise. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Pascagoula
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (27.6%), vs 22.4% across Mississippi. Utility shut-off threats (14% vs 11.2%) and housing insecurity (20.8% vs 16.8%) are higher too. 17.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Pascagoula has no health insurance
15% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.5% across Mississippi. Checkups ↓
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 Pascagoula’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Pascagoula’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pascagoula is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #60 of 101 in Mississippi. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 27% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Pascagoula’s median household income is $52,222; among the 6,536 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 18%, 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 Pascagoula is healthier than 40% of graded towns, against 9% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.9% of Pascagoula adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pascagoula adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
Out of every 100 Pascagoula adults…
On every condition, Pascagoula is about the same as Mississippi. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pascagoula
1 hospital in Pascagoula, 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 Pascagoula; ≈ 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.
8.7 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
How Pascagoula adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
4 in 10 Pascagoula 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.
Pascagoula and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pascagoula | D | 45.5% | 17.4% | 18.6% | CDC place |
| Moss Point | D | 49.2% | 23.9% | 19.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pascagoula adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pascagoula
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pascagoula is better than Mississippi on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Pascagoula’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pascagoula | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27%24.1–29.9 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14–17.6 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.5–20.6 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.5%39.1–51.8 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.4%15.4–19.6 | 15.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 47.7%43.7–51.7 | 44.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%34.1–42 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.5–32.7 | 29.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.9–11.4 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5 | 4.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.7%17.9–25.3 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.6%16.3–21.1 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 36.3%31.7–40.9 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%11.6–16.8 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41%34.9–46.5 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15%13.1–17 | 11.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%77.9–84 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.7%82.7–86.5 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.6–80.8 | 79.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%55.2–65.4 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.7%64.6–79.2 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%17–23.2 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.2%32.6–42.1 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%25.7–33 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.6%24.7–30.6 | 22.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.8%18.4–23.2 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14%12.4–15.7 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.4%12.9–15.9 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.9%15.7–20.2 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.3%36–44.5 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.5%18.3–22.8 | 18.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%17.2–21.3 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.4–9.3 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.7–9.1 | 7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.5%10.3–12.7 | 10.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.6–6.6 | 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 Pascagoula
Is Pascagoula a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pascagoula is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #60 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pascagoula?
CDC estimates 45.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.1% and 51.8%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pascagoula?
Singing River Health System in Pascagoula, 1.8 miles in a straight line from Pascagoula’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pascagoula have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.1–17%), 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 Pascagoula 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 Pascagoula.
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.