Photo: lfwlfw / Bevo at English Wikipedia · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Port Isabel is healthier than 84%
Port Isabel differs from Texas on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Port Isabel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Port Isabel
Making ends meet is harder in Port Isabel
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (30.5%), vs 19.3% across Texas. No reliable transportation (14.5% vs 10.5%) and housing insecurity (22.4% vs 16.4%) are higher too. 26.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Diabetes, heart disease and stroke run high in Port Isabel
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (19.4%), vs 12.7% across Texas. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 5.6% across Texas. Stroke is also above the state: 4.4%, vs 3.2% across Texas. In all, Port Isabel runs above Texas on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Port Isabel adults get no exercise
36.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. There are 29 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Port Isabel is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Port Isabel is healthier than 19%. Against the 830 towns with similar household incomes ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 84%. 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 Port Isabel’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Port Isabel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Isabel is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, #454 of 641 in Texas. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 66% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Port Isabel’s median household income is $32,222; among the 830 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 84%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26.9% of Port Isabel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Out of every 100 Port Isabel adults…
Port Isabel runs above TX on 7 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.
29 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Care in and near Port Isabel
No hospital or community health center in Port Isabel 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 Port Isabel; ≈ 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 Port Isabel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Port Isabel 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.
Port Isabel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Isabel | C− | 40.5% | 19.4% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Brownsville | C− | 40.8% | 18.7% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Laguna Heights | — | — | — | — |
Laguna Heights: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Port Isabel adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Port Isabel
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Port Isabel is better than Texas on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Port Isabel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Port Isabel | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.9%27.2–34.5 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.9–18.9 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.2–18.1 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%35.4–45.4 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.4%17.3–21.7 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%34.3–40.9 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%35.7–42.7 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 23.5%21–26 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.9%7.8–10 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–7 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.4–9.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%4–4.9 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.8%13.2–18.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%11.9–16.4 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 36.8%32.4–41.2 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.4–17.3 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%35.3–44 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 33.5%28.7–38.5 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.5%70.2–76.6 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.4%46.1–52.5 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.6%82.5–86.7 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%76–81.1 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.4%50.7–59.7 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.4%64.6–77.3 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16.6–21.9 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.4%28.2–34.6 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 30.5%28.2–32.8 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22.4%20.4–24.5 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.6%13.1–16.2 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.5%13.2–15.7 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.9%24.7–29.1 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.4%33.4–41.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.1%17.7–22.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.2–19.8 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%8–10.1 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.6%9.4–11.9 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 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 Port Isabel
Is Port Isabel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Isabel is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #454 of 641 in Texas. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Port Isabel?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 45.4%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Port Isabel?
Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, 14.1 miles in a straight line from Port Isabel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Port Isabel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 33.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 28.7–38.5%), 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 Port Isabel 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 Port Isabel.
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.