Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Prairie View is healthier than 99%
Prairie View differs from Texas on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Prairie View. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Prairie View
Prairie View is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Prairie View is healthier than 72%. Against the 92 towns with similar household incomes ($16K–$26K), it’s healthier than 99%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Prairie View
1 in 5 adults lack reliable transportation (21.2%), about twice the Texas rate. Food insecurity (31.1% vs 19.3%) and utility shut-off threats (16.9% vs 10.7%) are higher too. 22.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Prairie View
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (26.6%), vs 16.9% across Texas. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 38.5%, vs 28.4% across Texas. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Prairie View
Prairie View runs below Texas on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (1.4% vs 6.1%), heart disease (2% vs 5.6%) and arthritis (8.6% vs 21.6%). A young population is part of it: only 5% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%). Conditions ↓
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 Prairie View’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Prairie View’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Prairie View is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #155 of 641 in Texas. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress 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). Prairie View’s median household income is $21,060; among the 92 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($16K–$26K), it’s healthier than 99%, 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.
22.3% of Prairie View adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Out of every 100 Prairie View adults…
Prairie View runs below TX on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 5% of Prairie View residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Prairie View adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Prairie View 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.
Care in and near Prairie View
No hospital or community health center in Prairie View 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 Prairie View; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Prairie View adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Prairie View and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie View | B+ | 35.2% | 5.4% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Waller | C− | 40.6% | 14.4% | 15.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Prairie View adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Prairie View
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Prairie View is better than Texas on 12 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Prairie View’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Prairie View | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%15.7–21.4 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.3%8–10.6 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 26.6%23.2–29.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%26.8–44.1 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 12.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 21%17.8–24.4 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 17.1%14.5–19.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 8.6%7.3–9.9 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 13.6%11.8–15.3 | 9.5% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.4%1.3–1.6 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 2%1.7–2.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.7%2.3–3.1 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.5%1.4–1.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.9%19.3–26.9 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.8%6.4–9.4 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.2%18.6–28.4 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%12.8–19.4 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.8%37.3–52.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.7%10.4–15.5 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.1%69.4–78.3 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.4%47.3–55.5 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 74.2%70.4–77.8 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 47.1%44.7–49.7 | 74.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.2%54.9–65.5 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.7%67.8–82.4 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%20–28.1 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 38.5%34–42.9 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.1%28.1–34.4 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.9%23–29 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.9%14.8–19.2 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 21.2%19.3–23.3 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.3%19.8–25 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.3%28.2–38.2 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.2%6.2–8.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.3%19.1–25.1 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 2.3%2–2.6 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5–6.5 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.6%9.8–13 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Prairie View
Is Prairie View a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Prairie View is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #155 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 Prairie View?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.8% and 44.1%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Prairie View?
Bellville Medical Center in Bellville, 19.3 miles in a straight line from Prairie View’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Prairie View have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.4–15.5%), 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 Prairie View more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Prairie View.
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.