Photo: WhisperToMe · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Jamaica Beach is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Jamaica Beach differs from Texas on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Jamaica Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Jamaica Beach
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Jamaica Beach
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.4%), about twice the Texas rate. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.1%), vs 21.6% across Texas. Heart disease is also above the state: 6.9%, vs 5.6% across Texas. In all, Jamaica Beach runs above Texas on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 43% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Jamaica Beach keeps up with checkups
It beats Texas on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (81% vs 73.8%) and dentist visits (71.3% vs 54.6%). Checkups ↓
Jamaica Beach is an active town
Only 17.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
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 Jamaica Beach’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Jamaica Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jamaica Beach is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 51%.
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). Jamaica Beach’s median household income is $94,318; among the 9,388 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Jamaica Beach adults…
Jamaica Beach runs below TX on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Jamaica Beach is an older town: 43% of residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Jamaica Beach as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Jamaica Beach 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.
Care in and near Jamaica Beach
No hospital or community health center in Jamaica Beach 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 Jamaica Beach; ≈ 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 Jamaica Beach adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Jamaica Beach 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.
4.4% of Jamaica Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Jamaica Beach and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica Beach | A | 29.6% | 12% | 8.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Jamaica Beach adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Jamaica Beach
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jamaica Beach is better than Texas on 17 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Jamaica Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Jamaica Beach | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.8%11.2–16.6 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%9.6–13.4 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.2–14 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%22.8–36.8 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12%10–14.1 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.3%35.7–45 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.1%38.3–47.8 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.1%27.1–35.1 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.4%11.1–13.7 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%5.9–8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.8%4.5–7.2 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.8–3.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7%5.5–8.6 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.1%5.9–10.5 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.9%13.9–22.1 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.4–19.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.2%26.8–35.8 | 38.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%4.7–7.7 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%77.8–84 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.3%68.1–74.4 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.3%92.2–94.3 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.6%79.4–85.3 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.2%67.8–76.3 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%67.3–81.4 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.3%17.1–23.6 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20%17.6–22.6 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6%5.3–6.8 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.4%3.9–5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.4%3.9–5 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.9%20.5–29.3 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%9.9–14.8 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.8%7.3–10.5 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.5 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.8–3.9 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.3%4.3–6.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.3–3.4 | 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 Jamaica Beach
Is Jamaica Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jamaica Beach is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Jamaica Beach?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.8% and 36.8%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Jamaica Beach?
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston in Galveston, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Jamaica Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Jamaica Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7.7%), 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 Jamaica Beach more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Jamaica Beach.
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.