Photo: The original uploader was Pollinator at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Tennessee, Murfreesboro is healthier than 83% of graded towns
Murfreesboro differs from Tennessee on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Murfreesboro. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro looks healthier next to Tennessee than next to the country
It’s healthier than 83% of the 176 Tennessee towns we grade, but 59% of towns nationwide. Much of Tennessee scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease and COPD are less common in Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro runs below Tennessee on seven chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.5% vs 7%), COPD (5.8% vs 8.6%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.7%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Tennessee 17%). Conditions ↓
Murfreesboro is an active town
Only 22.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.6% across Tennessee. The town has 33 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves. 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 Murfreesboro’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Murfreesboro’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Murfreesboro is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns, #31 of 176 in Tennessee. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 82% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Murfreesboro’s median household income is $80,108; among the 10,745 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$100K), it’s healthier than 63%, about where its income would put it.
At 171,178 residents, Murfreesboro is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 Murfreesboro adults…
Murfreesboro runs below TN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Murfreesboro residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
33 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Care in and near Murfreesboro
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Murfreesboro, 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 Murfreesboro; ≈ 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 Murfreesboro adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Murfreesboro 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.
13.2% of Murfreesboro adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Murfreesboro and the towns around it
Murfreesboro has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murfreesboro | B | 37.3% | 9.9% | 14% | CDC place |
| Rockvale | B− | 39.2% | 10% | 18.1% | CDC place |
| Walterhill | — | — | — | — | |
| Smyrna | C | 39.3% | 12% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Walterhill: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Murfreesboro adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Murfreesboro
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Murfreesboro is better than Tennessee on 12 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Murfreesboro’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Murfreesboro | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.8%15.7–20 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%11–13.9 | 14.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%18.3–22.6 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%31–43.6 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 13.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.2%28.6–35.8 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.6%28.8–36.3 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 24.4%21.7–27.1 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.3 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.6–6.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4.1–5 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%9.9–14.7 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14%12.3–15.9 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.2%18.7–25.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.6–19.5 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.4%31.7–43.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11%9.6–12.4 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.8%72.1–79.2 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.6%57–64.1 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.7%82.9–86.4 | 86.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.9%66.9–72.8 | 76.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.3%57.3–67.1 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.3%71.3–84.4 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.5%23.9–31.3 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.2%23.7–31 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.5%13.9–17.2 | 16.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.7%12.1–15.3 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.2%11.8–14.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3%27.5–35.2 | 35.8% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.5–19 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.9–6.1 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.2–4.9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 4.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Murfreesboro
Is Murfreesboro a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Murfreesboro is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #31 of 176 in Tennessee. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 63%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Murfreesboro?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 31% and 43.6%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Murfreesboro?
Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Murfreesboro’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Murfreesboro have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.6–12.4%), 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 Murfreesboro more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Murfreesboro.
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.