Photo: GeoffreyLong · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Mason is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns
Mason differs from Texas on 18 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mason. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mason
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Mason
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.4%), vs 6.1% across Texas. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 5.6% across Texas. COPD is also above the state: 8.2%, vs 5.7% across Texas. In all, Mason runs above Texas on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Mason is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Mason’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 ↓
The nearest ER is 27 miles from Mason
The closest emergency room is Heart of Texas Memorial Hospital in Brady, 26.7 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Frontera Healthcare Network is closer (0.4 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Mason, and more people treating it
39.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Texas 33.1%), but 81% of them take medicine for it, vs 74.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Mason keeps up with checkups
It beats Texas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.8% vs 73.8%) and cholesterol checks (88.5% vs 84.6%). Checkups ↓
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 Mason’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Mason’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mason is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 80% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Mason’s median household income is $75,385; among the 10,842 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$94K), it’s healthier than 49%, about where its income would put it.
Where Mason compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Mason adults…
Mason runs above TX on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Mason is an older town: 37% of residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Mason as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Mason
1 community health center in Mason, 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 Mason; ≈ 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 Mason 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.
How Mason adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Mason 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.
9.5% of Mason adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Mason and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason | B− | 34.6% | 14.6% | 12.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Mason adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mason
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mason is better than Texas on 10 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Mason’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mason | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.1%19.8–27.1 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.2–17.2 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.6–16.8 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%30.5–38.7 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%13.1–16.3 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.8%37.4–42.4 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.6%39.1–44.1 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 30.5%28.3–32.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.9–10.6 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.7–11.2 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%6.6–10 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.7–5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.6–14.2 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%9.8–14.8 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.5%24.5–32.9 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%13.3–16.4 | 17% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%28.3–42.2 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.1%13.6–20.7 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%75.6–79.8 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.1%53.5–60.7 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.5%86.8–90.1 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%79.3–82.6 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%60.4–70.7 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.4%65.3–80.6 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.6%19.6–23.6 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%21.7–28.9 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.8%12.3–15.3 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%6.1–7.8 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.1%31.2–39.3 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.2%15.5–21.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12–16.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.5–10.8 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.2–7.3 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.3–10.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.8–5.4 | 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 Mason
Is Mason a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mason is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: B− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 49%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Mason?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 38.7%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Mason have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.6–20.7%), 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 Mason 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 Mason.
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.