Oliphant House · Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Milam is healthier than 60%
Milam differs from Texas on 21 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Milam. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Milam
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Milam
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.3%), about twice the Texas rate. 1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.3%), about twice the Texas rate. Heart disease is also above the state: 10.8%, vs 5.6% across Texas. In all, Milam runs above Texas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 43% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%), and cancer, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Milam is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Milam is healthier than 27%. Against the 6,059 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 60%. Health Grade ↓
Milam is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Milam’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 ↓
More high blood pressure in Milam, and more people treating it
47.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Texas 33.1%), but 83.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 74.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Milam keeps up with checkups
It beats Texas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (80.1% vs 73.8%) and cholesterol checks (89.5% 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 Milam’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Milam’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Milam is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 68% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Milam’s median household income is $50,781; among the 6,059 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 60%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Milam compares well: cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.5% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 83.6% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Milam adults…
Milam runs above TX on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Milam is an older town: 43% 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 Milam as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Milam
No hospital or community health center in Milam 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 Milam; ≈ 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 Milam 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 Milam 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.
14.1% of Milam adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Milam and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milam | C | 35.1% | 16.8% | 15.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Milam adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Milam
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Milam is better than Texas on 10 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Milam’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Milam | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.2%21.4–29.4 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.8–19.8 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–18.2 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.1%27.1–44.2 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.8%14.5–19.5 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.1%42.4–52.2 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.4%39.6–49.5 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.8%32.8–41.1 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.3%11.1–13.6 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.8%9.4–12.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.3%9.4–13.4 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.6%17.2–24.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.9%12.9–19.2 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.7%25.4–36.6 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%10.8–15.9 | 17% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.4%29.9–44 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.5%9.2–14.2 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%76.8–83.2 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51%47.3–55 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.5%87.9–90.8 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.6%81–86 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%58.2–69 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%63–79.2 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.8%19.4–26.8 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.3–29.4 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.9%14.4–17.9 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.5%10.2–13 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.5–9.5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.8–9.4 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.1%12.7–16 | 14.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.1%34–44.9 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.9%18.6–25.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%12.8–17.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.6%10.1–13.1 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%5.7–7.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%8.8–12.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%4.6–6.3 | 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 Milam
Is Milam a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Milam is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Milam?
CDC estimates 35.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.1% and 44.2%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Milam?
Sabine County Hospital in Hemphill, 6.3 miles in a straight line from Milam’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Milam have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–14.2%), 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 Milam 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 Milam.
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.