Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki ([email protected]) · CC BY 3.0Brownsville’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Brownsville differs from Tennessee on 25 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brownsville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brownsville
More Brownsville adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (41.8%), vs 26.6% across Tennessee. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Brownsville
36.8% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 16.2% across Tennessee (more than twice the Tennessee rate). Utility shut-off threats (20.4% vs 9.1%) and housing insecurity (28% vs 13.3%) are higher too. 38.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Brownsville is in the bottom 1% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Brownsville is healthier than fewer than 1% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Brownsville, and more people treating it
52.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Tennessee 39.5%), but 79.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.2% statewide. 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 Tennessee figure falls outside Brownsville’s likely range.
What’s behind Brownsville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brownsville is near the bottom of U.S. towns. All seven of Brownsville’s estimates fall in the lowest 3% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is obesity: 50% of adults, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
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). Brownsville’s median household income is $43,494; among the 3,492 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$54K), it’s healthier than 1%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Brownsville compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.6% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 10% (U.S. 15.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
38.7% of Brownsville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brownsville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
Out of every 100 Brownsville adults…
Brownsville runs below TN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Brownsville
1 hospital in Brownsville, 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 Brownsville; ≈ 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).
How Brownsville adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Brownsville runs above Tennessee.
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.
Brownsville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville | D− | 50% | 22.1% | 24.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brownsville adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brownsville
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brownsville is better than Tennessee on 3 and worse on 22; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Brownsville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brownsville | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 35.5%31.9–39.1 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.4–21.7 | 14.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.3%19.9–24.7 | 19.3% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 50%41–58.9 | 37.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 22.1%19.6–24.7 | 13.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 52.6%47.9–57 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.7%35.2–44.3 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36%32.3–39.7 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.2%11.6–14.8 | 11% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%8.1–10 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.3%11–13.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.3%5.7–6.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 28.6%24.2–33.4 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.8%21.7–27.8 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 41.8%36.2–47.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10%8–12.2 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 46.7%39.2–53.9 | 38.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.1%14.7–19.7 | 11.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%78–84.4 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 43.3%39.5–47.1 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84–87.6 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%76.8–81.9 | 76.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.6%54.8–65.9 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%67.6–82.2 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%22.7–30.5 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.7%30.5–39.1 | 27.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 36.8%33.9–39.7 | 16.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 28%25.3–30.7 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 20.4%18.2–22.6 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.9%16.4–19.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 38.7%35.7–41.7 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47.2%42.2–52.1 | 35.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 26.8%24–29.6 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.7%20.2–25.1 | 17.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 10.8%9.9–11.9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 15.3%13.7–17 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 4.1% | 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 Tennessee figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Brownsville
Is Brownsville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brownsville is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 1%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brownsville?
CDC estimates 50% of adults have obesity, likely between 41% and 58.9%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brownsville?
Haywood County Community Hospital in Brownsville, 1.7 miles in a straight line from Brownsville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Brownsville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.7–19.7%), 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 Brownsville more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays D−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brownsville.
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.