Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Palmer is healthier than 79%
Palmer differs from Texas on 21 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Palmer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palmer
Making ends meet is harder in Palmer
47.1% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 19.3% across Texas (more than twice the Texas rate). No reliable transportation (24% vs 10.5%) and housing insecurity (34.8% vs 16.4%) are higher too. 41.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Palmer adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (42%), vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
More Palmer adults go without health insurance
44.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 19.1% across Texas. Checkups ↓
Palmer is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Palmer is healthier than 6%. Against the 45 towns with similar household incomes ($14K–$23K), it’s healthier than 79%. Health Grade ↓
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 Palmer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Palmer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 34% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health 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). Palmer’s median household income is $18,675; among the 45 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($14K–$23K), it’s healthier than 79%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Palmer compares well: arthritis, 16.7% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
41.9% of Palmer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Palmer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Out of every 100 Palmer adults…
Palmer runs below TX on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 5% of Palmer residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Palmer
No hospital or community health center in Palmer 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 Palmer; ≈ 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 Palmer adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Palmer 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.
Palmer and the towns around it
Palmer’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer | D | 43.6% | 18% | 16.4% | CDC place |
| Encantada-Ranchito-El Calaboz | D− | 45.6% | 21.8% | 18% | CDC place |
| Rice Tracts | D− | 43.8% | 22.1% | 18% | CDC place |
| La Paloma | D | 42.8% | 18.5% | 15.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palmer adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palmer
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palmer is better than Texas on 2 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Palmer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palmer | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 36.9%30.7–43 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15–20.7 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%16.4–22.2 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.6%38.5–49 | 35.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18%15.6–20.3 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.4%28.2–34.6 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%30.2–36.8 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 16.7%14.6–18.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.1%7.9–10.4 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.2–7.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%4.9–7.3 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3–4.1 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.5%16–23.3 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.4%12.8–20.1 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 42%35.4–48.1 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.6–19.1 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42%37.4–46.3 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 44.3%34.8–52.7 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.7%63.5–71.5 | 73.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 41.7%38.5–44.7 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76.9%72.7–80.9 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%66.2–72.8 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 38.6%34.4–42.9 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 62.9%54.8–70 | 74.1% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.6–23.5 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 38.5%35–42 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 47.1%44.3–50 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 34.8%32–37.8 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 22.3%20.1–24.7 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 24%22.1–26 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 41.9%38.9–44.8 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.4%34.2–46.3 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.2%16–22.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.8%18.6–27.1 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.2–8.3 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 14%11.5–16.5 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.5%10.9–16.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.6%6.2–9.1 | 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 Palmer
Is Palmer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D 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 Palmer?
CDC estimates 43.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.5% and 49%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palmer?
VHS Harlingen Hospital Company in Harlingen, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Palmer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palmer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 44.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 34.8–52.7%), 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 Palmer 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 Palmer.
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.