Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Gleason is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Gleason trails Tennessee on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gleason. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gleason
Gleason is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Gleason is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
COPD and heart disease run high in Gleason
1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.8%), vs 8.6% across Tennessee. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 7% across Tennessee. In all, Gleason runs above Tennessee on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Gleason
52.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 58.1% across Tennessee. Among those 65 and older, 20.9% have lost all their teeth (Tennessee 14.6%). 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 Gleason’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Gleason’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gleason is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 18% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Gleason’s median household income is $57,917; among the 8,311 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 7%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Gleason adults…
Gleason runs above TN on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gleason adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
Care in and near Gleason
No hospital or community health center in Gleason 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 Gleason; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Gleason adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Gleason 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.8% of Gleason adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Gleason and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gleason | D | 41.4% | 14.9% | 23% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gleason adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gleason
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gleason is better than Tennessee on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Gleason’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gleason | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.2%22.9–32.4 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%15.5–21.1 | 14.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.2%19.5–25.3 | 19.3% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.4%33.8–50.2 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.9%12.7–17.3 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.4%36.2–45 | 39.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.8%35.5–44.3 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.8%30.3–37.7 | 30.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.4 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.1–9.5 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.8%9.8–14.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.8–5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.9%17.2–24.4 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23%18.8–27.6 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.3%25.9–37.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.6–17.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.2%33.3–48.1 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.3%9.8–17.1 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%72.7–80.3 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.8%48.6–56.5 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.3%81.4–86.7 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%73.5–79.6 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.1%52–63.3 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.4%57.1–75 | 75.2% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 31.8%27.7–36.4 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27%23.3–30.9 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.7%16.7–20.9 | 16.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.6%8.3–10.9 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.1%9.1–11.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.8%15.8–20.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.4%35.9–47.9 | 35.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.9%16.6–23.7 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.4%18.3–25 | 17.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%7.9–10.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%5.7–8 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.3%10.4–14.6 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.4–6.3 | 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 Gleason
Is Gleason a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gleason is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 7%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gleason?
CDC estimates 41.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.8% and 50.2%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gleason?
West Tennessee Healthcare Henry County Hospital in Paris, 10.8 miles in a straight line from Gleason’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gleason have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.8–17.1%), 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 Gleason 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 Gleason.
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.