Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Highlands is healthier than 66%
Highlands trails Texas on 9 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Highlands. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highlands
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Highlands
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 5.7% across Texas. 1 in 15 adults have heart disease (6.7%), vs 5.6% across Texas. Cancer is also above the state: 7.1%, vs 6.1% across Texas. In all, Highlands runs above Texas on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Highlands
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15.2%), vs 12.5% across Texas. Habits ↓
Highlands is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Highlands is healthier than 33%. Against the 6,520 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 66%. Health Grade ↓
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 Highlands’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Highlands’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highlands is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns, #332 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 46% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Highlands’ median household income is $52,167; among the 6,520 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 66%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Texas towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Highlands is healthier than 48% of graded towns, against 33% nationally.
Out of every 100 Highlands adults…
Highlands runs above TX on 5 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.
1.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Highlands
No hospital or community health center in Highlands 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 Highlands; ≈ 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 Highlands adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Highlands adults are doing
About the same as Texas on each measure.
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.
16.9% of Highlands adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Highlands and the towns around it
Highlands has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands | C | 37.8% | 13.5% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Channelview | C− | 40.9% | 14.1% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Baytown | C− | 39.5% | 14% | 15% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highlands adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highlands
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highlands is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Highlands’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highlands | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.9%20.1–25.9 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.1–16.7 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.9–19.8 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.8%33.3–42.5 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.8–15.2 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.6–37.9 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%34.8–41.4 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%21.2–26.2 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.6–10.9 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.7–8.7 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.1%13.5–19 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%13–17.6 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%23.6–31 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%15.3–20.4 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%34.9–42 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 21%18.1–24 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.8%69.6–75.9 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.8%51.7–57.7 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%81.7–85.5 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%72.4–78.2 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.9%53.8–62 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.1%64.6–77.1 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.8–25.6 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%26.4–32.5 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22%20.2–24 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.4%16.7–20.3 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12%10.7–13.4 | 10.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%10.7–12.7 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.9%15.3–18.6 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%30.7–38.3 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%13.9–18 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.2–19.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.6–8.4 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.2–5.3 | 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 Highlands
Is Highlands a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highlands is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #332 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 Highlands?
CDC estimates 37.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.3% and 42.5%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highlands?
Baytown Medical Center LP in Baytown, 5.5 miles in a straight line from Highlands’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Highlands have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 21% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.1–24%), 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 Highlands 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 Highlands.
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.