Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Kermit is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
Kermit trails Texas on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kermit. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kermit
Kermit is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Kermit’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 ↓
Dental care lags in Kermit
49.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 54.6% across Texas. Among those 65 and older, 15.8% have lost all their teeth (Texas 12.5%). Kermit’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
More Kermit adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.2%), 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 Kermit’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Kermit’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kermit is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns, #404 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 54% of U.S. towns); no exercise 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). Kermit’s median household income is $81,170; among the 10,707 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$101K), it’s healthier than 14%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Care in and near Kermit
1 hospital in Kermit, 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 Kermit; ≈ 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 Kermit 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.
1 mile of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Kermit adults…
Kermit runs above TX on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Kermit adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Kermit 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.
16.8% of Kermit adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Kermit and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kermit | C− | 37.8% | 14.4% | 14.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kermit adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kermit
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kermit is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Kermit’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kermit | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.2%23.5–30.8 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.5–17.5 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.4–19.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.8%29.1–46.8 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.4%12.4–16.3 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.9%29.7–38.1 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%31.8–40.6 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.2%19.3–25.2 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.1–6.2 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.8%14.1–17.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.3–16.7 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 34.2%28.7–39.8 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17%13.9–20.3 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.5%35.1–42 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 28.8%24.6–33.1 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.5%67.2–75.4 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.1%47–51.4 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.9–85.2 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%70.2–76.5 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 54.4%51.7–57.2 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.1%68.1–76.1 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%17.3–24.1 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.8%29.8–34 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.4%23.1–25.8 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.2%19–21.4 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%11.2–13 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.2%11.6–13 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.8%15.8–18 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.6%30.7–40.7 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.5%14.2–19 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.2–19.7 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.2–7.9 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.1–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%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 Kermit
Is Kermit a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kermit is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #404 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 14%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kermit?
CDC estimates 37.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 46.8%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kermit?
Winkler County Memorial Hospital in Kermit, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Kermit’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Kermit have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 24.6–33.1%), 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 Kermit 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 Kermit.
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.