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–Not graded
Health in Cookson · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Cookson residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Cookson, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Cookson

Heart disease, cancer and stroke run high in Cookson

1 in 9 adults have heart disease (11.3%), vs 7.3% across Oklahoma. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 7.8% across Oklahoma. Stroke is also above the state: 5.5%, vs 3.7% across Oklahoma. In all, Cookson runs above Oklahoma on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 39% of residents are 65 or older (Oklahoma 16%), and heart disease, cancer and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Cookson, and more people treating it

51% of adults have high blood pressure (Oklahoma 38.5%), but 83.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.3% statewide. Checkups ↓

Cookson keeps up with checkups

It beats Oklahoma on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.3% vs 77.9%) and dentist visits (61.1% vs 57.1%). Checkups ↓

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 Cookson’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Cookson adults…

Cookson runs above OK on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Cookson adults have heart disease
Oklahoma: 7 in 100 · worse · likely 10–12.7%
Better than OKWorseAbout the sameOklahoma
Why age matters here

Cookson is an older town: 39% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Oklahoma. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Cookson as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Cookson39%
Oklahoma16%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

83%Yearly checkupOK 78%
61%Dentist visitOK 57%
90%Cholesterol checkOK 84%
67%Colon screeningOK 60%
70%MammogramOK 70%
84%Taking BP medsOK 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Cookson 8.7% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Getting care

Care in and near Cookson

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

HNearest ERCherokee Nation W W Hastings Indian HospitalTahlequah · 13.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMemorial Hospital★★★★★ · 16.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNortheastern Oklahoma Community Health CentersTahlequah · 12.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.3 mi
Northeastern Oklahoma Community Health Centers
8 sites · nearest in Tahlequah
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13.3 mi
Cherokee Nation W W Hastings Indian Hospital
Tahlequah · ★★★★★
ER
≈13.5 mi
Northeastern Health System
Tahlequah · ★★★★★
ER
16.7 mi
Memorial Hospital
Stilwell · ★★★★★
ER
19.1 mi
Sequoyah County-City of Sallisaw Hospital Authorit
Sallisaw · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Cookson itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Cookson itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Cookson 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 Cookson; ≈ 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 32.2%OK 31.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 37.5%OK 36.8%
Binge drink 11.4%OK 14%
Smoke cigarettes 19%OK 16.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Cookson, betterCookson, worseAbout the sameOklahoma
Where Cookson gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Cookson adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Cookson does better than Oklahoma.

3 in 10Cookson adults feel lonely
29.4% · OK 33.1% · About the same as OK
1 in 4Cookson adults lack social or emotional support
23.8% · OK 25.2% · About the same as OK
1 in 4Cookson adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.4% · OK 25.5% · About the same as OK
1 in 6Cookson adults are in frequent mental distress
15.7% · OK 18% · Better than OK
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Cookson 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.

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 6
Cookson adults worry about having enough food
17.1% · OK 18.5%
About the same as OK
1 in 8
Cookson adults worry about keeping their housing
12.2% · OK 14.1%
About the same as OK
1 in 10
Cookson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.6% · OK 10.3%
About the same as OK
1 in 11
Cookson adults lack reliable transportation
9% · OK 9.6%
About the same as OK

14.4% of Cookson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Around town

Cookson and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Dry Creek————

Dry Creek: 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.

43%

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

Walking or climbing stairs22.6%
Thinking or memory15.8%
Hearing13.3%
Errands alone10%
Vision7.1%
Dressing or bathing5.4%
Oklahoma

Questions about health in Cookson

Why doesn’t Cookson have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Cookson.

What hospital is closest to Cookson?

Cherokee Nation W W Hastings Indian Hospital in Tahlequah, 13.3 miles in a straight line from Cookson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cookson.

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. 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.