Photo: Cayla.campPR · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Mississippi, Petal is healthier than 67% of graded towns
Petal beats Mississippi on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Petal. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Petal
Petal looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 67% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 39% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Petal adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Mississippi. 1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food, vs 22.4% of adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Petal
Petal runs below Mississippi on diabetes (12.6% vs 15.5%) and stroke (3.8% vs 4.5%). Conditions ↓
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 Petal’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Petal’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Petal is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, #34 of 101 in Mississippi. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 63% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 26%).
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). Petal’s median household income is $74,750; among the 10,853 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.2% of Petal adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Out of every 100 Petal adults…
Petal runs below MS on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Petal
No hospital or community health center in Petal 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 Petal; ≈ 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.
4.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Petal adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Petal adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
1 in 3 Petal 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.
Petal and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petal | C+ | 34.4% | 12.6% | 16.2% | CDC place |
| Hattiesburg | C− | 38.5% | 13.6% | 16.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Petal adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Petal
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Petal is better than Mississippi on 10 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Petal’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Petal | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.6%18.8–24.2 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.6–16.1 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.5–19.6 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%27.6–40.7 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.9–14.4 | 15.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%35–43.3 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%32–40.7 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.1%25.6–32.2 | 29.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.4–10.9 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 8.1%7.1–9.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17%13.8–20.4 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%13.9–18.6 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%24.7–33.3 | 34% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%12.6–18.7 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37%31.3–42.7 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.1%9.4–13.1 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%75.7–82.6 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%83.7–87.6 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.2%75.1–80.7 | 79.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.4%58.2–68.1 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%64.5–79.6 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%18.1–25 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%30.4–39.8 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%22.6–29.5 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.9%16.4–21.7 | 22.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.9%12.2–16 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%7.9–10.4 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.9–11.3 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.2%8.7–12.1 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.8%32.2–40.8 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%14.1–18.3 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.4–19.4 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.1–9 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 10.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 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 Petal
Is Petal a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Petal is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #34 of 101 in Mississippi. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Petal?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 40.7%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Petal?
Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, 6.3 miles in a straight line from Petal’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Petal have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–13.1%), 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 Petal 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 Petal.
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.