Photo: Randy C. Bunney, Great Circle PhotoGraphics · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fulton is healthier than 83%
Fulton differs from Texas on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fulton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fulton
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Fulton
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.3%), about twice the Texas rate. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.6%), vs 5.6% across Texas. Arthritis is also above the state: 36.5%, vs 21.6% across Texas. In all, Fulton runs above Texas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 58% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fulton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fulton is healthier than 53%. Against the 7,826 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 83%. Health Grade ↓
Fulton is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Fulton’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 high blood pressure in Fulton, and more people treating it
47% of adults have high blood pressure (Texas 33.1%), but 84.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 74.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fulton keeps up with checkups
It beats Texas on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82.3% vs 73.8%) and dentist visits (61.8% vs 54.6%). 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 Fulton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Fulton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fulton is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 93% of U.S. towns); diabetes 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). Fulton’s median household income is $56,324; among the 7,826 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Fulton adults…
Fulton runs below TX on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Fulton is an older town: 58% of residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Fulton as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Fulton
No hospital or community health center in Fulton 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 Fulton; ≈ 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 Fulton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Fulton adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Fulton 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.
9.5% of Fulton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Fulton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fulton adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fulton
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fulton is better than Texas on 14 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Fulton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fulton | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.2%18.2–24.3 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13–17 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.7–15.1 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33%25.9–40.4 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.2%13.9–18.6 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47%42.1–51.5 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.5%42.7–52.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.5%32.4–40.5 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.3%11.9–14.6 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.6%8.4–10.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.5–10.2 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.2–5.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.3%7.4–11.2 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.6%9.5–13.6 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%22.6–32.1 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.4%10.2–14.9 | 17% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%27.4–40.7 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.1%8.5–12 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79.3–85.1 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.8%58–65.2 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.5%91.5–93.6 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.6%81.9–87.1 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.7%61–71.3 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%62.8–78.9 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%17.7–24.2 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%19.7–26.4 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.2%10.8–13.6 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%6–7.3 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%8.4–10.8 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.3%29.6–38.9 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.7%15.9–21.5 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%9.9–13 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.7–8.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 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 Fulton
Is Fulton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fulton is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fulton?
CDC estimates 33% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 40.4%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fulton?
Refugio County Memorial Hospital in Refugio, 21.8 miles in a straight line from Fulton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Fulton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.5–12%), 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 Fulton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fulton.
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.