Within Texas, Harker Heights is healthier than 60% of graded towns
Harker Heights differs from Texas on 7 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Harker Heights. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Harker Heights
Obesity and depression run high in Harker Heights
2 in 5 adults have obesity (41.9%), vs 35.6% across Texas. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24.4%), vs 21.2% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Harker Heights sleeps less
42.8% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 38.2% across Texas. Habits ↓
Harker Heights has a top-rated hospital
Seton Medical Center Harker Heights is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. 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 Harker Heights’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Harker Heights’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harker Heights is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #261 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 70% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Harker Heights’ median household income is $81,190; among the 10,703 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$101K), it’s healthier than 39%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Harker Heights compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.5% (U.S. 37.1%); coronary heart disease, 5% (U.S. 6.4%).
Out of every 100 Harker Heights adults…
Harker Heights runs below TX on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Harker Heights residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Harker Heights
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Harker Heights, 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 Harker Heights; ≈ 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.
2.3 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Harker Heights adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Harker Heights adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Harker Heights 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.
14% of Harker Heights adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Harker Heights and the towns around it
Harker Heights’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harker Heights | C+ | 41.9% | 12.1% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Killeen | C− | 45.7% | 13% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Nolanville | B− | 42.2% | 11.1% | 12.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Harker Heights adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Harker Heights
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Harker Heights is better than Texas on 3 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Harker Heights’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Harker Heights | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.2%18–22.6 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.5–14.5 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.3–20.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.9%37–47 | 35.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.7–13.7 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.5%29.4–35.8 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.5%28.3–34.8 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.8%20.5–25.4 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.2 | 9.5% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.6%5–6.2 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.4–16.4 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%10.9–14.3 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.9%23.5–30.4 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%13.1–18.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.8%38.3–47.6 | 38.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.5%12–15.2 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.3%73.2–79.3 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.8%54.6–61 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.8–87.1 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.7–75.6 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.3%57.9–66.8 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.1%69.8–82 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%21.5–27.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.3%25.4–31.5 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.7%16.1–19.3 | 19.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.5%14.9–18.2 | 16.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.2%10.1–12.5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.2%9.4–11.1 | 10.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14%12.7–15.5 | 14.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%28–34.9 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.4%11.8–15 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%13.8–17.1 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.3–9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 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 Harker Heights
Is Harker Heights a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harker Heights is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #261 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 39%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Harker Heights?
CDC estimates 41.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 37% and 47%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Harker Heights?
Seton Medical Center Harker Heights in Harker Heights, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Harker Heights’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Harker Heights have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12–15.2%), 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 Harker Heights more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Harker Heights.
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.