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D−Health Grade
Health in Briggs · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Briggs is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns

Briggs trails Oklahoma on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Briggs. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Briggs

Briggs is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Briggs is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓

Dental care lags in Briggs

47.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 57.1% across Oklahoma. Among those 65 and older, 25.7% have lost all their teeth (Oklahoma 16.4%). Checkups ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Briggs

1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26%), vs 18.5% across Oklahoma. No reliable transportation (13.9% vs 9.6%) and utility shut-off threats (14.3% vs 10.3%) are higher too. 21.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓

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 Oklahoma figure falls outside Briggs’ likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Briggs’ grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Briggs is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. All seven of Briggs’ estimates fall in the lowest 10% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is obesity: 45.3% of adults, against 38.9% across Oklahoma and 32.9% nationally.

DSelf-rated health27.5% · OK 21.2% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress18% · OK 14.3% · U.S. 13%
DMental distress19.9% · OK 18% · U.S. 15.9%
D−Obesity45.3% · OK 38.9% · U.S. 32.9%
DDiabetes16.4% · OK 12.8% · U.S. 12%
D−Smoking22.6% smoke · OK 16.3% · U.S. 11.8%
DExercise34.5% · OK 31.1% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 4%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $35K–$59K (4,743)Healthier than 11%

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). Briggs’ median household income is $47,250; among the 4,743 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Briggs could be anywhere from D− to C−.

How TownRatings grades health →

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Briggs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oklahoma.

79%Yearly checkupOK 78%
48%Dentist visitOK 57%
83%Cholesterol checkOK 84%
54%Colon screeningOK 60%
62%MammogramOK 70%
78%Taking BP medsOK 76%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Briggs 11.7% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 4
Briggs adults worry about having enough food
26% · OK 18.5%
Worse than OK
1 in 5
Briggs adults worry about keeping their housing
18.5% · OK 14.1%
Worse than OK
1 in 7
Briggs adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
14.3% · OK 10.3%
Worse than OK
1 in 7
Briggs adults lack reliable transportation
13.9% · OK 9.6%
Worse than OK

21.8% of Briggs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Briggs adults…

Briggs runs above OK on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

5 of every 100 Briggs adults have had a stroke
Oklahoma: 4 in 100 · worse · likely 4.3–5.4%
Better than OKWorseAbout the sameOklahoma
Getting care

Care in and near Briggs

No hospital or community health center in Briggs itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCherokee Nation W W Hastings Indian HospitalTahlequah · 4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMemorial Hospital★★★★★ · 15.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNortheastern Oklahoma Community Health CentersTahlequah · 3.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3.9 mi
Northeastern Oklahoma Community Health Centers
8 sites · nearest in Tahlequah
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
4 mi
Cherokee Nation W W Hastings Indian Hospital
Tahlequah · ★★★★★
ER
≈5.6 mi
Northeastern Health System
Tahlequah · ★★★★★
ER
15.6 mi
Memorial Hospital
Stilwell · ★★★★★
ER
27.6 mi
Siloam Springs Regional Hospital
Siloam Springs · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Briggs itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Briggs itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Briggs itself

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 Briggs; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Oklahoma

Share of adults, with the Oklahoma figure marked.

Get no exercise 34.5%OK 31.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 43.4%OK 36.8%
Binge drink 13.3%OK 14%
Smoke cigarettes 22.6%OK 16.3%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Briggs, betterBriggs, worseAbout the sameOklahoma
Where Briggs gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Briggs adults are doing

About the same as Oklahoma on each measure.

1 in 3Briggs adults feel lonely
34.2% · OK 33.1% · About the same as OK
3 in 10Briggs adults lack social or emotional support
27.8% · OK 25.2% · About the same as OK
1 in 4Briggs adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.9% · OK 25.5% · About the same as OK
1 in 5Briggs adults are in frequent mental distress
19.9% · OK 18% · About the same as OK
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Briggs adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Briggs and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Welling: 45%Eldon: 46.5%Caney: 42.7%Etta: 47.1%Park Hill: 44.9%Briggs: 45.3%BriggsWellingEldonCherokee Nation W W Hastings Indian Hospital · Tahlequah · 4 mi · 3★ MedicareHNortheastern Health System · Tahlequah · 5.6 mi · 2★ MedicareHNeohealth Tahlequah Primary Care · Tahlequah · 3.9 mi+
Healthier than OKNear OKLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#4 of 6 towns on this map, healthiest first
Welling45%
Briggs45.3%
Eldon46.5%
OK38.9%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
BriggsD−45.3%16.4%22.6%CDC place
Eldon————
Welling————

Eldon and Welling: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

44.9%

of Briggs adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs21.6%
Thinking or memory20.4%
Hearing11.4%
Errands alone12.2%
Vision8.6%
Dressing or bathing5.7%
Oklahoma

Every CDC estimate for Briggs

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Briggs is better than Oklahoma on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Oklahoma figure falls inside Briggs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…BriggsOKU.S.vs OK
Overall health
Fair or poor health27.5%23.8–31.521.2%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)18%15.8–20.514.3%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)19.9%17.6–22.518%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity45.3%38.6–53.238.9%32.9%About the same
Diabetes16.4%14.3–18.812.8%12%Worse
High blood pressure43.3%39.3–47.838.5%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)38.3%34.4–42.937.7%37.1%About the same
Arthritis30.8%27.7–34.427.8%25.3%About the same
Asthma13.3%11.8–1511.5%9.9%Worse
Cancer, other than skin cancer7.6%6.9–8.57.8%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease8.8%7.8–9.97.3%6.4%Worse
COPD10%8.5–11.68%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.8%4.3–5.43.7%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)25.7%21.7–29.916.4%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22.6%19.2–26.516.3%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work34.5%29.6–40.531.1%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking13.3%11–16.114%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours43.4%36.7–50.336.8%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)11.7%9.5–14.211.3%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year78.8%75.4–82.177.9%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year47.8%43.9–51.557.1%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years83.4%80.9–85.884.3%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)77.6%74.8–80.276.3%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)54%48.4–59.259.7%65.5%Worse
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)62.3%52.9–7170.4%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression24.9%21.6–28.825.5%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely34.2%28.9–4033.1%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support27.8%23.5–32.525.2%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food26%21.4–30.718.5%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing18.5%15.4–21.814.1%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off14.3%12–16.610.3%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation13.9%11.7–16.19.6%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)21.8%17.6–26.115.1%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability44.9%40.1–50.438.9%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs21.6%18.8–24.717.1%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering20.4%17.8–23.317.3%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty11.4%10.1–12.89.1%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty8.6%7.6–9.86%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone12.2%10.5–149.6%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing5.7%5–6.64.3%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 Oklahoma figure falls inside that range.

Questions about health in Briggs

Is Briggs a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Briggs is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Briggs?

CDC estimates 45.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.6% and 53.2%, against 38.9% across Oklahoma and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Briggs?

Cherokee Nation W W Hastings Indian Hospital in Tahlequah, 4.0 miles in a straight line from Briggs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Briggs have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 11.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.5–14.2%), against 11.3% across Oklahoma.

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 Briggs 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 Briggs.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oklahoma 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.