Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Richardson as a whole is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Richardson beats Texas on 21 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Richardson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Richardson
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Richardson
Richardson runs below Texas on six chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (9% vs 12.7%), stroke (2.4% vs 3.2%) and heart disease (4.4% vs 5.6%). Conditions ↓
Richardson has a top-rated hospital
Methodist Richardson Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Richardson is an active town
Only 22.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.8% across Texas. The town has 20 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Nearly everyone in Richardson is insured
Only 12.3% 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 Richardson’s likely range.
What’s behind Richardson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richardson is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #81 of 641 in Texas. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 66%.
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). Richardson’s median household income is $98,111; among the 8,848 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
At 118,542 residents, Richardson is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 Richardson adults…
Richardson runs below TX on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Richardson residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Richardson
1 hospital in Richardson, 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 Richardson; ≈ 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.
20 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Richardson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Richardson adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Richardson does better than 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11% of Richardson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Richardson and the towns around it
Richardson’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richardson | A | 30% | 9% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Garland | C+ | 34.7% | 13% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Plano | A | 31.2% | 9.9% | 8.8% | CDC place |
| Dallas | C+ | 36.8% | 12.4% | 13% | CDC place |
| Murphy | A | 31.2% | 10.7% | 9.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Richardson adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Richardson
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Richardson is better than Texas on 21 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Richardson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Richardson | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.3%14.9–17.8 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%9.5–11.4 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.9–17.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30%27.1–33.5 | 35.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9%8.2–10.1 | 12.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29%27–31.4 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%32.6–37.5 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.2%16.7–19.9 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.5–10.2 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.8–6.8 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.4%4.1–4.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.3–2.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.7–10.5 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.5%20.4–24.9 | 27.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%15.6–19.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%30.8–36.4 | 38.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.3%11.2–13.6 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.9%72.7–77.3 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.6%58.3–62.8 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%82.8–85.5 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.3%70.2–74.6 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.2%61.1–67.2 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76%71.1–80.2 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%18.5–22.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%23.6–27.9 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.6%13.6–15.7 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%10.7–12.6 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%7.3–8.8 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%8.4–9.7 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11%10.1–11.9 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.3%23.2–27.7 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.9%9–11 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%12.1–14.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.8–5.8 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4.1–4.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.4–7.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.6–3 | 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 Richardson
Is Richardson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richardson is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #81 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Richardson?
CDC estimates 30% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.1% and 33.5%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Richardson?
Methodist Richardson Medical Center in Richardson, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Richardson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Richardson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.2–13.6%), 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 Richardson 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 Richardson.
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.