Photo: Patriarca12 · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Alpine is healthier than 94%
Alpine differs from Texas on 4 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alpine. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alpine
Alpine is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Alpine’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Cancer runs high in Alpine
1 in 14 adults have had cancer (7.1%), vs 6.1% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Alpine is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Alpine is healthier than 72%. Against the 8,950 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 94%. Health Grade ↓
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 Texas figure falls outside Alpine’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Alpine’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alpine is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #155 of 641 in Texas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 89% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 52%.
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). Alpine’s median household income is $60,139; among the 8,950 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 94%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Alpine
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Alpine, 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 Alpine; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Alpine adults…
Alpine runs above TX on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
7 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Alpine adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Alpine adults are doing
About the same as Texas 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 Alpine adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Alpine and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine | B+ | 32.9% | 11.9% | 9.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Alpine adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alpine
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alpine is better than Texas on 3 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Alpine’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alpine | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%16.4–22.1 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.6–13.9 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.4–17.4 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%25.1–41.4 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.3–13.6 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.1%28.2–36.1 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%31.2–39.7 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.3%19.5–25.2 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.1%8–10.2 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.1–6.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.2%4.4–6.1 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%10–14.7 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%7.9–11.6 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 24.9%20.5–29.5 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%14.5–20.8 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5%29.1–43.2 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.9%14.2–19.7 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.3%70.4–77.9 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.9%53.4–60.5 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.5–87.4 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%73.1–78.2 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.5%57.4–67.6 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.8%64.8–80.3 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%17.5–24.2 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.2%22.8–29.9 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.8%16.1–19.6 | 19.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.1%9.2–11 | 10.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.2%11.7–14.6 | 14.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%25.3–34.2 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11.1–14.9 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.6–15.4 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.2–8.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3–3.8 | 4% | 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 Texas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alpine
Is Alpine a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alpine is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #155 of 641 in Texas. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alpine?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 41.4%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alpine?
Big Bend Regional Medical Center in Alpine, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Alpine’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Alpine have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.2–19.7%), against 19.1% across Texas.
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 Alpine 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 Alpine.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Texas 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.