Photo: Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Port Lavaca is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
Port Lavaca trails Texas on 7 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Port Lavaca. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Port Lavaca
More Port Lavaca adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.1%), vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
1 in 4 working-age adults in Port Lavaca has no health insurance
26.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 19.1% across Texas. Checkups ↓
Diabetes and heart disease run high in Port Lavaca
1 in 7 adults have diabetes (15.2%), vs 12.7% across Texas. 1 in 15 adults have heart disease (6.7%), vs 5.6% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Port Lavaca has a top-rated hospital
Memorial Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Lavaca’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Port Lavaca’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Lavaca is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns, #341 of 641 in Texas. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 65% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 10%).
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 Lavaca’s median household income is $70,123; among the 10,512 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
3.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Port Lavaca adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Out of every 100 Port Lavaca adults…
Port Lavaca runs above TX on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Port Lavaca
1 hospital in Port Lavaca, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Lavaca; ≈ 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 Port Lavaca 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.
14.6% of Port Lavaca adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Port Lavaca and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Lavaca | C | 35.5% | 15.2% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Port Lavaca adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Port Lavaca
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Port Lavaca is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Port Lavaca’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Port Lavaca | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.6%23.5–30.1 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.4–17.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.6–18.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%27.5–44.2 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.2%13.3–17.3 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35%30.9–39.3 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%33–41.8 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.9%20–25.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9%7.9–10.2 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%12–17.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11.3–15.3 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 34.1%29.1–39.4 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%12.8–18.9 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.2%32.1–46.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 26.3%22.8–29.7 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.1%69–77 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.9%47.2–54.6 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%81.9–85.6 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.9–78.5 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.9%52.5–63.1 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.4%61.8–78 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.4%16.2–22.6 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30%26.3–34 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.8%18.8–22.8 | 19.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.8%15–18.7 | 16.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.6%9.6–11.6 | 10.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.6%13.1–16.2 | 14.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.4%31–40.2 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%15.1–19.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.5–18.5 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.8%7.1–8.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.2–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 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 Lavaca
Is Port Lavaca a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Lavaca is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #341 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Port Lavaca?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 44.2%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Port Lavaca?
Memorial Medical Center in Port Lavaca, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Port Lavaca’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Port Lavaca have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 26.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 22.8–29.7%), 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 Port Lavaca 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 Port Lavaca.
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.