On CDC estimates, Palm Valley is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
Palm Valley differs from Texas on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Palm Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palm Valley
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Palm Valley
1 in 8 adults have heart disease (11.8%), about twice the Texas rate. 1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.2%), about twice the Texas rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.1%, vs 3.2% across Texas. In all, Palm Valley runs above Texas on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Palm Valley, and more people treating it
46.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Texas 33.1%), but 84.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 74.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Palm Valley trails towns with similar incomes
Palm Valley is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns, and only 6% of the 8,685 towns with similar household incomes ($75K–$124K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
More Palm Valley adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.3%), 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 Palm Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Palm Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palm Valley is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 84% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Palm Valley’s median household income is $99,438; among the 8,685 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$124K), it’s healthier than 6%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Palm Valley compares well: binge drinking, 12.1% (U.S. 15.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.4% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 84.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Palm Valley adults…
Palm Valley runs above TX on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Palm Valley 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 Palm Valley
No hospital or community health center in Palm Valley 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 Palm Valley; ≈ 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 Palm Valley adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Palm Valley 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.
18.3% of Palm Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Palm Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Valley | C− | 38.4% | 21.4% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Harlingen | C− | 40.1% | 18.6% | 13.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palm Valley adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palm Valley
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palm Valley is better than Texas on 6 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Palm Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palm Valley | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.8%24.9–33.2 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.4–20.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.9–16.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.4%33.7–43.3 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 21.4%18.9–24.1 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 46.2%42.7–49.8 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.6%41–48.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33%29.9–36.2 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%9.9–12.3 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.8%10.4–13.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.2%9.2–13.4 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.1%5.3–7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10–14.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%11.6–16.7 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 34.3%29.6–39 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.1%10.2–14.2 | 17% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%31.8–40.2 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 22.4%18.4–26.5 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%76.8–82.1 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.4%50.2–56.5 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.4%87.8–90.8 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.7%82.5–86.8 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.5%55.1–63.6 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%67.6–79.5 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%17.4–22.9 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.7%23.8–29.6 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.9%18.3–21.8 | 19.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.9%12.5–15.4 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.9%8.8–11 | 10.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%9.1–11 | 10.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.3%16.5–20.1 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.4%35.1–43.8 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.7%20.3–27.3 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.1–17.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.6%11–14.2 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.7%8.4–11.2 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%9.9–13.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%5.8–7.9 | 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 Palm Valley
Is Palm Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palm Valley is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 6%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palm Valley?
CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.7% and 43.3%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palm Valley?
VHS Harlingen Hospital Company in Harlingen, 5.5 miles in a straight line from Palm Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palm Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 22.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.4–26.5%), 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 Palm Valley more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Palm Valley.
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.