Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, West Hattiesburg is healthier than 53%
West Hattiesburg differs from Mississippi on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Hattiesburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Hattiesburg
West Hattiesburg looks healthier next to Mississippi than next to the country
It’s healthier than 47% of the 101 Mississippi towns we grade, but 10% of towns nationwide. Much of Mississippi scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in West Hattiesburg
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (30.4%), vs 22.4% across Mississippi. Utility shut-off threats (16.5% vs 11.2%) and no reliable transportation (16.7% vs 11.9%) are higher too. 22% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in West Hattiesburg has no health insurance
15.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.5% across Mississippi. Checkups ↓
West Hattiesburg is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, West Hattiesburg is healthier than 10%. Against the 2,203 towns with similar household incomes ($30K–$49K), it’s healthier than 53%. Health Grade ↓
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 West Hattiesburg’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind West Hattiesburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Hattiesburg is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #55 of 101 in Mississippi. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 35% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). West Hattiesburg’s median household income is $39,366; among the 2,203 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$49K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Few Mississippi towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state West Hattiesburg is healthier than 46% of graded towns, against 10% nationally.
Where West Hattiesburg compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22% of West Hattiesburg adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Hattiesburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
Out of every 100 West Hattiesburg adults…
West Hattiesburg runs below MS on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of West Hattiesburg residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Mississippi. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near West Hattiesburg
No hospital or community health center in West Hattiesburg 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 West Hattiesburg; ≈ 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How West Hattiesburg adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
4 in 10 West Hattiesburg 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.
West Hattiesburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Hattiesburg | D | 44.2% | 14.9% | 18.5% | 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 West Hattiesburg adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Hattiesburg
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Hattiesburg is better than Mississippi on 3 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside West Hattiesburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Hattiesburg | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.3%24.1–30.6 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.3–17 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%16.9–21.3 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.2%37.6–50.9 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.9%13.1–16.8 | 15.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 42.8%39–47 | 44.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.8%31.9–39.8 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%23.6–29.5 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.8 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 8.5%7.5–9.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 4.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.6%16.4–23.1 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.5%15.9–21.2 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 37.3%32.6–42.2 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%10.7–15.7 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.1%36–48.4 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.1%12.7–17.8 | 11.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%77.7–84.1 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.2%80.8–85.4 | 86.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%73–78.4 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.2%55.3–65.2 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%62.6–78.3 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18.1–24.7 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.9%32–42.2 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.9%26–34.3 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 30.4%26.6–34.5 | 22.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23%20–26.3 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.5%14.4–18.9 | 11.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.7%14.6–19 | 11.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22%18.6–25.3 | 13.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.3%36.1–44.9 | 38.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19%16.8–21.4 | 18.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.2%17.9–22.7 | 17.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 8.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.9%7.9–9.8 | 7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.4%10.9–14 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 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 West Hattiesburg
Is West Hattiesburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Hattiesburg is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health, #55 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 West Hattiesburg?
CDC estimates 44.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.6% and 50.9%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Hattiesburg?
Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg, 1.2 miles in a straight line from West Hattiesburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Hattiesburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.7–17.8%), 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 West Hattiesburg 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 West Hattiesburg.
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.