On CDC estimates, Friendswood is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Friendswood differs from Texas on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Friendswood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Friendswood
Cancer runs high in Friendswood
1 in 12 adults have had cancer (8.5%), vs 6.1% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Friendswood is an active town
Only 19.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
Friendswood keeps up with checkups
It beats Texas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (67% vs 54.6%) and cholesterol checks (88.9% vs 84.6%). 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 Friendswood’s likely range.
What’s behind Friendswood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Friendswood is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #50 of 641 in Texas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 91% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 81%.
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). Friendswood’s median household income is $126,508; among the 4,902 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($95K–$158K), it’s healthier than 78%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Friendswood adults…
Friendswood runs below TX on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
4.4 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Friendswood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Care in and near Friendswood
No hospital or community health center in Friendswood 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 Friendswood; ≈ 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 Friendswood adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Friendswood 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.
5.8% of Friendswood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Friendswood and the towns around it
Friendswood has the best Health Grade of the 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friendswood | A | 29.6% | 10% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| League City | A | 30.5% | 9.3% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Pearland | A− | 33.4% | 10.9% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Webster | A− | 33.2% | 9.2% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Alvin | C | 38.1% | 12.6% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Houston | C+ | 38% | 13.9% | 13.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Friendswood adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Friendswood
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Friendswood is better than Texas on 21 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Friendswood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Friendswood | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.8–12 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13.1–15.9 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%24.8–35.2 | 35.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10%8.9–11.2 | 12.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.5%29.4–35.7 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%33.1–39.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.4%21–25.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.8–9.2 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.8–5.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.6–3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%6.1–8.8 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.3%8.1–10.5 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.2%16.5–21.9 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%16.2–21.4 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.9%30.4–37.7 | 38.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.8%8.8–10.9 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.9%72.9–78.6 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67%64.5–69.6 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.7–90 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.2–79.2 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.1%61.4–68.7 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77%71.6–81.8 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18.7–23.9 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%21.4–25.8 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.3%8.6–10.2 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%8.3–9.9 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.4–6.6 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%5.3–6.2 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.8%5.2–6.3 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.9%22.1–27.7 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.2%10.1–12.4 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.4–6.6 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–2.9 | 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 Friendswood
Is Friendswood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Friendswood is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #50 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 78%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Friendswood?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 35.2%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Friendswood?
Memorial Hermann Houston Physicians Hospital in Webster, 4.9 miles in a straight line from Friendswood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Friendswood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.8–10.9%), 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 Friendswood more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Friendswood.
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.