Photo: StationNT5Bmedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Dayton is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns
Dayton trails Texas on 7 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dayton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dayton
COPD and asthma run high in Dayton
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 5.7% across Texas. 1 in 9 adults have asthma (11.3%), vs 9.5% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Dayton
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.6%), vs 12.5% across Texas. Habits ↓
Dayton is short on primary care and mental health care
Dayton’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
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 Dayton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Dayton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dayton is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, #425 of 641 in Texas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 40% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Dayton’s median household income is $59,691; among the 8,827 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Dayton adults…
Dayton runs above TX on 4 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.
0.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Dayton
2 community health centers in Dayton, 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 Dayton; ≈ 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 Dayton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Dayton adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Dayton runs above 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.
16.6% of Dayton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Dayton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dayton adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dayton
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dayton is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Dayton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dayton | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%21.4–27.4 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.4–17 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%17.9–22.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%30–47.3 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11.2–14.6 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%31.3–39.6 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%30.9–39.7 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.5%21.6–27.7 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.8 | 9.5% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.2%14.2–20.7 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%14.5–19.3 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%26–35.8 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%14.2–20.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.1%32.4–46.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.5%15.2–20 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.3%69.2–77.1 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.5%47.7–55.4 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%81.3–85.1 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%71.5–77.1 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.2%54–64.4 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.6%63.3–79.2 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%21–28.6 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.7%26.8–34.7 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.1%19–23.2 | 19.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18%16–20 | 16.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.8%10.4–13.2 | 10.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.4%10.3–12.5 | 10.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.6%14.8–18.5 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.7%30.4–39.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%14–18.2 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%16–20.1 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.7–6.9 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 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 Dayton
Is Dayton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dayton is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #425 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dayton?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 47.3%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dayton?
Liberty Dayton Regional Medical Center in Liberty, 9.1 miles in a straight line from Dayton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Dayton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.2–20%), 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 Dayton 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 Dayton.
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.