Mt. Zion Church and Cemetery · Photo: Cj4258 · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Big Sandy residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Big Sandy, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Sandy. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Sandy
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Big Sandy
1 in 8 adults have COPD (13%), vs 8.6% across Tennessee. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.5%), vs 7% across Tennessee. Stroke is also above the state: 5.3%, vs 3.7% across Tennessee. In all, Big Sandy runs above Tennessee on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Tennessee 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Big Sandy adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.4%), vs 26.6% across Tennessee. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Big Sandy
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (22%), vs 17.3% across Tennessee. Habits ↓
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 Tennessee figure falls outside Big Sandy’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Big Sandy adults…
Big Sandy runs above TN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Big Sandy is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Big Sandy as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Big Sandy
No hospital or community health center in Big Sandy 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 Big Sandy; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Sandy adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Big Sandy 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.
14.4% of Big Sandy adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Big Sandy and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Sandy adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Big Sandy
Why doesn’t Big Sandy have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Big Sandy.
What hospital is closest to Big Sandy?
West Tennessee Healthcare Camden Hospital in Camden, 12.3 miles in a straight line from Big Sandy’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Big Sandy.
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. 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.