Photo: Crimsonedge34 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Lawton is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns
Lawton differs from Oklahoma on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lawton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lawton
Lawton looks healthier next to Oklahoma than next to the country
It’s healthier than 43% of the 131 Oklahoma towns we grade, but 14% of towns nationwide. Much of Oklahoma scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lawton
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24.8%), vs 18.5% across Oklahoma. Utility shut-off threats (13.9% vs 10.3%) and no reliable transportation (12.6% vs 9.6%) are higher too. 21.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Lawton sleeps less
44% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 36.8% across Oklahoma. Habits ↓
Lawton has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 1 community health center are inside Lawton. Getting care ↓
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 Lawton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Lawton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawton is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns, #75 of 131 in Oklahoma. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 38% 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). Lawton’s median household income is $54,433; among the 7,243 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 26%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Oklahoma towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Lawton is healthier than 43% of graded towns, against 14% nationally.
Where Lawton 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.
21.6% of Lawton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.
Care in and near Lawton
3 hospitals and 1 community health center in Lawton, 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 Lawton; ≈ 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 Oklahoma
Share of adults, with the Oklahoma figure marked.
45 miles of trails across 63 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Lawton adults…
Lawton runs below OK on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Lawton residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across Oklahoma. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lawton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oklahoma.
How Lawton adults are doing
About the same as Oklahoma on each measure.
1 in 3 Lawton 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.
Lawton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawton | D | 43.8% | 13.2% | 18.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lawton adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lawton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lawton is better than Oklahoma on 1 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Oklahoma figure falls inside Lawton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lawton | OK | U.S. | vs OK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.7%21.3–26.3 | 21.2% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.3–16.7 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.8–22.1 | 18% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.8%38.1–49.7 | 38.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.6–14.9 | 12.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.4%34–40.9 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%31.3–38.3 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.1%23.5–28.9 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–13 | 11.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%6–7.3 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.9%17.6–24.4 | 16.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.8%16.7–21.1 | 16.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.6%30.6–38.9 | 31.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.9–17.2 | 14% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44%38.6–49.4 | 36.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13%11.4–14.8 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%74–80.7 | 77.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.9%49.2–56.5 | 57.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.1%79–83.1 | 84.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.9%70.3–75.5 | 76.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.5%54.5–64.2 | 59.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%63.4–77.9 | 70.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22.2–29 | 25.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%29.7–39.4 | 33.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.3%23.7–31.3 | 25.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.8%22.2–27.7 | 18.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.4%16.3–20.8 | 14.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.9%12.3–15.7 | 10.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.6%11.4–14.1 | 9.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.6%19.3–24.2 | 15.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.1%37.1–45.2 | 38.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%15.9–19.6 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.9%18–21.9 | 17.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.1 | 9.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.8–7.9 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.8–12 | 9.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.7–5.4 | 4.3% | 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 Lawton
Is Lawton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawton is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns: D for health, #75 of 131 in Oklahoma. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 26%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lawton?
CDC estimates 43.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.1% and 49.7%, against 38.9% across Oklahoma and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lawton?
Memorial Health in Lawton, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Lawton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lawton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.4–14.8%), 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 Lawton 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 Lawton.
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.