Buffalo Valley School · Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Baxter is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Baxter differs from Tennessee on 4 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Baxter. How CDC estimates town health
What’s behind Baxter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baxter is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 44% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Baxter’s median household income is $58,750; among the 8,580 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 28%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Baxter adults…
On every condition, Baxter is about the same as Tennessee. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Baxter
No hospital or community health center in Baxter 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 Baxter; ≈ 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 Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Baxter adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Baxter adults are doing
About the same as Tennessee on each measure.
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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.7% of Baxter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Baxter and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter | C− | 38.8% | 12.5% | 20.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Baxter adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Baxter
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Baxter is better than Tennessee on 3 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Baxter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Baxter | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.5%19.6–27.5 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14–18.7 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.6%18.8–24.2 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.8%31.6–45.9 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.7–14.3 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38%33.8–42 | 39.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%34.3–42.7 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%27.3–33.9 | 30.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.8 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.4–9.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.1–8 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.8%8–11.4 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.9%14.5–21.5 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.7%16.9–24.7 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.3%22.4–32.6 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.6–17.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%32.4–44.7 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.7%9.8–15.9 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.8%71.8–79.3 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.8%47.9–55.6 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.2%81.4–86.6 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.5%71.5–77.2 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.5%56.5–66.2 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%67.4–81.6 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30%25.9–34.2 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%22.3–29.5 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.1%12.5–16 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%10–13 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.8–9 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7.3–9.1 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.7%11.1–14.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.1%32–42.4 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.2–19.7 | 16.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.8%16.7–22.8 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%8.9–12.4 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.6–5 | 4.1% | 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 Tennessee figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Baxter
Is Baxter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baxter is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 28%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Baxter?
CDC estimates 38.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 45.9%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Baxter?
Cookeville Regional Medical Center in Cookeville, 7.1 miles in a straight line from Baxter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Baxter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.8–15.9%), against 11.6% across Tennessee.
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 Baxter more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Baxter.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Tennessee 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.