Stone, John M., Cotton Mill · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Starkville is healthier than 93%
Starkville differs from Mississippi on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Starkville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Starkville
Starkville is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Starkville is healthier than 47%. Against the 3,083 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 93%. Health Grade ↓
Starkville looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 75% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 47% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Starkville is short on dental care and mental health care
Starkville’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Starkville
Starkville runs below Mississippi on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.6% vs 7.6%), diabetes (11.5% vs 15.5%) and stroke (3.4% vs 4.5%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Mississippi 17%). 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 Starkville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Starkville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Starkville is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns, #26 of 101 in Mississippi. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 74% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Starkville’s median household income is $42,125; among the 3,083 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Mississippi towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Starkville is healthier than 75% of graded towns, against 47% nationally.
Where Starkville compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.7% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.6% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5.7% (U.S. 6.4%).
Out of every 100 Starkville adults…
Starkville runs below MS on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Starkville residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Mississippi. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Starkville
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Starkville, 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 Starkville; ≈ 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.
3.5 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Starkville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
How Starkville adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
4 in 10 Starkville 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.
14% of Starkville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Starkville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starkville | B− | 36% | 11.5% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Mississippi State | A− | 26.2% | 2.1% | 8.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Starkville adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Starkville
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Starkville is better than Mississippi on 12 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Starkville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Starkville | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%18.4–23.5 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.1–14.1 | 14.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.6–21 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36%30.3–41.8 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10–12.9 | 15.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 36.1%32.6–39.6 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.7%28.3–35.1 | 38.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.5%21–26 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.2 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5–6.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.2 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.2–3.7 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.1%16.1–22.6 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%11.8–15.7 | 16.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 29.1%25.1–33.4 | 34% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%12.9–18.5 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.3%31.1–41.6 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%9.1–12.4 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%75.2–81.7 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.6%78.3–82.8 | 86.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%71.4–76 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.9%56.9–66.7 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%68–81.7 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%17.8–24 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.6%31.8–41.2 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%22.4–29.3 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.5%18.7–24.4 | 22.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16%14–18.1 | 16.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.4%10–12.8 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.5%11.9–15.1 | 11.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14%12.1–16.1 | 13.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.3%31.2–39.5 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.7–16.1 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.9%16.8–21.2 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%6.1–7.3 | 7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.4–11.8 | 10.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–4.8 | 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 Starkville
Is Starkville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Starkville is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #26 of 101 in Mississippi. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Starkville?
CDC estimates 36% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.3% and 41.8%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Starkville?
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Oktibbeha County in Starkville, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Starkville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Starkville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.1–12.4%), 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 Starkville more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Starkville.
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.