Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Heartland is healthier than 19%
Heartland differs from Texas on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Heartland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Heartland
Making ends meet is harder in Heartland
1 in 6 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (15.4%), vs 10.7% across Texas. Food insecurity (23.2% vs 19.3%) and housing insecurity (22% vs 16.4%) are higher too. 19.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Heartland trails towns with similar incomes
Heartland is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, and only 19% of the 9,574 towns with similar household incomes ($70K–$116K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Asthma runs high in Heartland
1 in 9 adults have asthma (11.3%), vs 9.5% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Heartland
Heartland runs below Texas on six chronic conditions, most of all cancer (3.7% vs 6.1%), heart disease (3.7% vs 5.6%) and diabetes (10.3% vs 12.7%). A young population is part of it: only 4% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%). Conditions ↓
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 Heartland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Heartland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Heartland is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #305 of 641 in Texas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 77% 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). Heartland’s median household income is $92,996; among the 9,574 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($70K–$116K), it’s healthier than 19%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Heartland compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 28.9% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 17.7% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
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 Heartland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Out of every 100 Heartland adults…
Heartland runs below TX on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 4% of Heartland residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Heartland
No hospital or community health center in Heartland 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 Heartland; ≈ 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.
0.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Heartland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Heartland adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Heartland 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.
Heartland and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Heartland adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Heartland
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Heartland is better than Texas on 6 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Heartland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Heartland | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.4%19–25.9 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11–14.6 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%17.6–22.8 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.3%33.1–49.7 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.9–11.9 | 12.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%26.9–34.9 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.9%24.9–33 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.7%15.2–20.3 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.7 | 9.5% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.7%3.4–4.2 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.2–4.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.1%4.3–5.9 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.3%11.9–16.9 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.4–18.3 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.8%22.8–33 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15–22 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.5%39.4–51.8 | 38.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.1%14.2–20.7 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.2%67.9–76.4 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.4%47–53.8 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.4%79.9–84.9 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.3%63.7–70.9 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 52.8%48–57.5 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.7%65.1–79.3 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.4–26.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.5%26.7–34.4 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.2%21–25.3 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22%19.8–24.3 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.4%13.6–17 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.6%11.5–13.8 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.4%17.4–21.3 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30%25.4–34.8 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%10.1–13.9 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%14.7–19.7 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5–6.6 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%7.8–10.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.5–4.6 | 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 Heartland
Is Heartland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Heartland is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #305 of 641 in Texas. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Heartland?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.1% and 49.7%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Heartland?
Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Sunnyvale in Sunnyvale, 10.6 miles in a straight line from Heartland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Heartland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.2–20.7%), 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 Heartland 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 Heartland.
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.