On CDC estimates, Plains is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Plains trails Texas on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Plains. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Plains
Heart disease, diabetes and COPD run high in Plains
1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 5.6% across Texas. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (17.2%), vs 12.7% across Texas. COPD is also above the state: 7.7%, vs 5.7% across Texas. In all, Plains runs above Texas on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Plains adults get no exercise
36.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
3 in 10 working-age adults in Plains have no health insurance
27.8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 19.1% across Texas. 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 Plains’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Plains’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plains is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 46% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Plains’ median household income is $76,985; among the 10,817 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$96K), it’s healthier than 5%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Plains adults…
Plains runs above TX on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Plains adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Care in and near Plains
No hospital or community health center in Plains 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 Plains; ≈ 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 Plains 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.
18.4% of Plains adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Plains and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plains | D | 41% | 17.2% | 15.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Plains adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Plains
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Plains is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Plains’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Plains | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.1%26.2–34.5 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15–19.6 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.7–20.2 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41%32.4–50.5 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.2%15.1–19.6 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%33.7–42.2 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%34.1–43.1 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.5%22.5–28.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.9–7.3 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.6–8.9 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%8.9–13.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%12.7–18.1 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 36.8%31.4–42.8 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.6–18.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.5%31.2–46.1 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 27.8%22.7–32.7 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.7%69.5–77.7 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.8%47–54.6 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%81.1–86 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%73.6–79.4 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.8%51.2–62.2 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.6%59.5–76.7 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.4–25.4 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.5%26.6–34.8 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.5%22.3–27 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.5%17.5–21.8 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.3%10.9–13.8 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.4%11.3–13.7 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.4%16.6–20.5 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39%34–44.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.9%17.2–22.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%15.7–20.8 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.1%8–10.4 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.2–12.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.9%5.2–6.8 | 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 Plains
Is Plains a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plains is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 5%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Plains?
CDC estimates 41% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 50.5%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Plains?
Yoakum County Hospital in Denver City, 15.2 miles in a straight line from Plains’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Plains have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 27.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 22.7–32.7%), 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 Plains 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 Plains.
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.