Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Austin as a whole is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Austin differs from Texas on 25 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Austin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Austin
Austin has 11 hospitals within its borders
11 hospitals and 3 community health centers are inside Austin. St. David's Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Stroke and diabetes are less common in Austin
Austin runs below Texas on eight chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2% vs 3.2%), diabetes (8.1% vs 12.7%) and heart disease (3.6% vs 5.6%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Austin doesn’t win on
20% of adults binge drink, vs 17% across Texas, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Austin is an active town
Only 20.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. The town has 533 miles of trails across 356 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 Texas figure falls outside Austin’s likely range.
What’s behind Austin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Austin is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #77 of 641 in Texas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 53%.
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). Austin’s median household income is $93,658; among the 9,489 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($70K–$117K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
At 1,002,632 residents, Austin is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Austin
11 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Austin.
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 Austin; ≈ 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 Austin adults…
Austin runs below TX on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Austin residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
533 miles of trails across 356 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Austin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Austin adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Austin does better than Texas.
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.
11.4% of Austin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Austin and the towns around it
Austin’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | A | 30.1% | 8.1% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Cedar Park | A | 31.1% | 8.9% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| West Lake Hills | A+ | 25.7% | 9.1% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| Barton Creek | A+ | 25.6% | 10.7% | 6.1% | CDC place |
| Rollingwood | A+ | 27% | 8.7% | 6.1% | CDC place |
| Wells Branch | A− | 31.9% | 8.4% | 10% | CDC place |
| Brushy Creek | A | 30.9% | 9.3% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| Lost Creek | — | — | — | — |
Lost Creek: 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 Austin adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Austin
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Austin is better than Texas on 23 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Austin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Austin | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.1%14.6–17.7 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%9.1–11.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15.4–18.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.1%26.9–33.5 | 35.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.1%7.2–9 | 12.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 24.4%22.4–26.5 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.5%28.1–32.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 15.8%14.4–17.4 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.6–5.5 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.6%3.3–4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2%1.9–2.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%7–10.1 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.4%8.4–10.6 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%18–22.3 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20%17.7–22.4 | 17% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.1%28.9–35.3 | 38.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.1%13.7–16.5 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.3%68.5–74 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.5%57.8–63.1 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.4%82.8–85.8 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.9%64.2–69.6 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.9%59.2–66.4 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%73.6–83.4 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%20.7–25.4 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.1%22.7–27.9 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.8%13.5–16.2 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13%11.8–14.4 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%8.3–9.9 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%10.4–12.6 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%21.4–25.8 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%8–9.9 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%12.1–14.6 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4–4.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%6.1–7.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 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 Austin
Is Austin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Austin is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #77 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Austin?
CDC estimates 30.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.9% and 33.5%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Austin?
Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin in Austin, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Austin’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Austin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.7–16.5%), 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 Austin more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Austin.
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.