Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Cherokee is healthier than 77%
Cherokee differs from Oklahoma on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cherokee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cherokee
Cherokee is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Cherokee is healthier than 49%. Against the 8,624 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 77%. Health Grade ↓
Cherokee keeps up with checkups
It beats Oklahoma on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (61.5% vs 57.1%) and cholesterol checks (86.5% vs 84.3%). Checkups ↓
Cherokee is short on primary care and mental health care
Cherokee’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Cancer runs high in Cherokee
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.5%), vs 7.8% across Oklahoma. Conditions ↓
Fewer Cherokee adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Oklahoma. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 5 adults 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 Cherokee’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Cherokee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cherokee is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 60% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Cherokee’s median household income is $58,860; among the 8,624 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Cherokee compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 8.3% (U.S. 11%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Cherokee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oklahoma.
Care in and near Cherokee
1 community health center in Cherokee, 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 Cherokee; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Cherokee adults…
Cherokee runs above OK on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.6% of Cherokee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.
Everyday habits, side by side with Oklahoma
Share of adults, with the Oklahoma figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Cherokee adults are doing
About the same as Oklahoma on each measure.
3 in 10 Cherokee 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.
Cherokee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee | B− | 38.1% | 12% | 14.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cherokee adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cherokee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cherokee is better than Oklahoma on 8 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Oklahoma figure falls inside Cherokee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cherokee | OK | U.S. | vs OK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%15.6–21.6 | 21.2% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.8–15.5 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.4–18.7 | 18% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%29.9–46.8 | 38.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12%10.3–13.9 | 12.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%35–43.7 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.6%35.1–44.1 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%26.6–33.6 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.6–8.6 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%6.7–9.3 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.1%11.4–16.8 | 16.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12–17.3 | 16.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.6%23.5–33.6 | 31.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.6–17.2 | 14% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%26.3–39 | 36.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.6–10.5 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.9%75.4–82.2 | 77.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.5%57.6–64.8 | 57.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.6–88.4 | 84.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.6–81 | 76.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%60–69.6 | 59.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.9%57.7–74.5 | 70.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%21.5–28.9 | 25.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%25.3–36.3 | 33.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.3–26.2 | 25.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.8%10.3–15.9 | 18.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.1–12.1 | 14.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.2–9 | 10.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%5.9–8.3 | 9.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.6%8.4–13.3 | 15.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36%31.1–40.9 | 38.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%13.6–18.6 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.2–17.4 | 17.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 9.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 9.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 4.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Cherokee
Is Cherokee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cherokee is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cherokee?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 46.8%, against 38.9% across Oklahoma and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cherokee?
Share Medical Center in Alva, 17.5 miles in a straight line from Cherokee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Cherokee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–10.5%), 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee.
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.