On CDC estimates, Rice Tracts is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Rice Tracts differs from Texas on 21 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rice Tracts. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rice Tracts
More Rice Tracts adults get no exercise
43.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. Habits ↓
Diabetes, COPD and stroke run high in Rice Tracts
1 in 5 adults have diabetes (22.1%), vs 12.7% across Texas. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.2%), vs 5.7% across Texas. Stroke is also above the state: 5%, vs 3.2% across Texas. In all, Rice Tracts runs above Texas on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Rice Tracts
2 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (39.1%), about twice the Texas rate. No reliable transportation (19% vs 10.5%) and utility shut-off threats (19% vs 10.7%) are higher too. 37% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Rice Tracts’ likely range.
What’s behind Rice Tracts’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rice Tracts is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 25% 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). Rice Tracts’ median household income is $133,472; among the 4,210 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($100K–$167K), it’s healthier than 0%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Rice Tracts compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Rice Tracts adults…
Rice Tracts runs below TX on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Rice Tracts residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
37% of Rice Tracts adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Care in and near Rice Tracts
No hospital or community health center in Rice Tracts 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 Rice Tracts; ≈ 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 Rice Tracts adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Rice Tracts adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Rice Tracts 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.
Rice Tracts and the towns around it
Rice Tracts’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Tracts | D− | 43.8% | 22.1% | 18% | CDC place |
| Encantada-Ranchito-El Calaboz | D− | 45.6% | 21.8% | 18% | CDC place |
| Palmer | D | 43.6% | 18% | 16.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rice Tracts adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rice Tracts
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rice Tracts is better than Texas on 1 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Rice Tracts’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rice Tracts | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 39.3%34.1–44.3 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.4–22.6 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.1–20.8 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.8%38.6–48.8 | 35.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 22.1%19.7–24.7 | 12.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.1%34.7–41.5 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%35.5–42.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 23.2%20.6–25.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.5–5.6 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.2%7.8–10.6 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.4–5.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.4%11.9–17.1 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%14.9–21 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 43.9%38.4–48.9 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%12.2–17 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41%36.6–45.3 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 41.3%34.4–48.2 | 19.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.4%67.8–74.7 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 42%38.9–45.1 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.6%76.6–82.5 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%73.8–79.3 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.3%48.8–57.6 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.7%61.4–74.9 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.7–23.5 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.6%30.2–37 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 39.1%36.6–41.7 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 28%25.7–30.4 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 19%17.1–20.9 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 19%17.5–20.6 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 37%34.5–39.5 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.6%38.5–48.4 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 24.4%21.1–27.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.2%18.9–25.5 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.2–10.5 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 15.3%13.1–17.3 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.8%12.6–17.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 9.1%7.8–10.5 | 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 Rice Tracts
Is Rice Tracts a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rice Tracts is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 0%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rice Tracts?
CDC estimates 43.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.6% and 48.8%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rice Tracts?
VHS Harlingen Hospital Company in Harlingen, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Rice Tracts’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rice Tracts have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 34.4–48.2%), 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 Rice Tracts 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 Rice Tracts.
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.