Old Reagan County Courthouse · Photo: BlueSteel75 at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Big Lake is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Big Lake differs from Texas on 7 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Lake
Big Lake is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Big Lake’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 ↓
More Big Lake adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.8%), vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
1 in 4 working-age adults in Big Lake has no health insurance
25.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 19.1% across Texas. 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 Texas figure falls outside Big Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Big Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #361 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 63% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Big Lake’s median household income is $71,471; among the 10,626 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 31%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Big Lake compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.3% (U.S. 7.9%).
Care in and near Big Lake
No hospital or community health center in Big Lake 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 Big Lake; ≈ 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 Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
2.8 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Out of every 100 Big Lake adults…
Big Lake runs below TX on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of Big Lake residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
How Big Lake 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.
15.7% of Big Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Big Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake | C | 39.2% | 14.1% | 13.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Lake adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Lake
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Big Lake is better than Texas on 1 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Big Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Big Lake | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%22.4–28.2 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13.2–16 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.6–18.8 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.2%34.8–44 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.8–15.4 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%31.1–35.9 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%33.1–37.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.3%19.6–23 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9%8.3–9.8 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.3%4.9–5.7 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%11.7–17.9 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.5–15.3 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.8%29.1–36.9 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%15.5–19.1 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.5%32.1–47.1 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 25.7%21.4–29.6 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 72%69.5–74.4 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.3%48.3–56.3 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%82–85.6 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.4%71.4–75.4 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.9%52–63.4 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%61.9–78.7 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%18.7–22.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.9%27–35.1 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23%20.8–25.6 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.5%17.4–21.9 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.5%10.2–13.1 | 10.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%10.5–12.7 | 10.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.7%14–17.7 | 14.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.7%30.4–37.4 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.5–16.9 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.5–18.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.3–7.9 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.4–9.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Big Lake
Is Big Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #361 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 31%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Big Lake?
CDC estimates 39.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.8% and 44%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Lake?
Reagan Memorial Hospital in Big Lake, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Big Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Big Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 25.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 21.4–29.6%), 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 Big Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Big Lake.
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.