Potton-Hayden House · Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Big Spring is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Big Spring trails Texas on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Spring. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Spring
Dental care lags in Big Spring
45.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.6% across Texas. Among those 65 and older, 18.4% have lost all their teeth (Texas 12.5%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Big Spring
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25.4%), vs 19.3% across Texas. Housing insecurity (20.7% vs 16.4%) and utility shut-off threats (13.3% vs 10.7%) are higher too. 19.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Big Spring adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35%), vs 27.8% across Texas. 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 Big Spring’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Big Spring’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Spring is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #498 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 33% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 8%).
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 Spring’s median household income is $67,581; among the 10,287 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 13%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Spring adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.4% of Big Spring adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
6.2 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Big Spring adults…
Big Spring runs above TX on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Big Spring residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Big Spring
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Big Spring, 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 Big Spring; ≈ 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).
How Big Spring 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.
Big Spring and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Spring | C− | 40% | 14.9% | 16.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Spring adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Spring
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Big Spring is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Big Spring’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Big Spring | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.4%25.3–31.6 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14.1–17.7 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.2–20.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%31.4–49.1 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.9%13.1–16.9 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%31.8–40.2 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%31.6–40.4 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.4%19.7–25.3 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.3–10.5 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7%6.3–7.8 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.4%15.3–21.9 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.5%14.5–18.9 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35%30.1–40.1 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%14.5–21.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40%32.7–47.8 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 28.9%25.8–32.2 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71%66.7–75 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 45.9%42.2–49.6 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.3%79.1–83.4 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.5%69.4–75.5 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 54%48.6–59.3 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%61–77.7 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18–24.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.1%28.1–36.2 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.4%23.1–27.8 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.7%18.5–22.9 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.3%11.8–14.9 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13%11.9–14.2 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.4%17.5–21.5 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.9%32.6–41.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%15.2–19.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%16.3–20.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.9–8.6 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.2%7.5–8.9 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.9–11 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 4% | 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 Texas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Big Spring
Is Big Spring a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Spring is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #498 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 13%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Big Spring?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 49.1%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Spring?
Scenic Mountain Medical Center in Big Spring, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Big Spring’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Big Spring have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 28.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 25.8–32.2%), 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 Spring 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 Big Spring.
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.