Photo: Patrick Feller from Humble, Texas, USA · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Rusk is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Rusk trails Texas on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rusk. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rusk
Smoking is more common in Rusk
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.1%), vs 12.5% across Texas. Habits ↓
More Rusk adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (34.5%), vs 28.4% across Texas. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.2%, vs 16.9% across Texas. Mind & connection ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Rusk
1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 5.7% across Texas. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.9%), vs 3.2% across Texas. In all, Rusk runs above Texas on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Rusk is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Rusk is healthier than 18%. Against the 6,929 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 37%. 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 Rusk’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Rusk’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rusk is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns, #465 of 641 in Texas. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 45% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Rusk’s median household income is $53,438; among the 6,929 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 37%, 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.
1.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Rusk adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Rusk 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.
Out of every 100 Rusk adults…
Rusk runs above TX on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Rusk residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Rusk
1 community health center in Rusk, 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 Rusk; ≈ 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 Rusk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.3% of Rusk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Rusk and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rusk | C− | 36.8% | 13.7% | 19.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rusk adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rusk
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rusk is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Rusk’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rusk | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.6%23.1–30.3 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.4–17.4 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17–21.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.8%28.6–45.5 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.7%11.9–15.8 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%33.4–42.1 | 33.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.2%30.8–39.7 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%20.8–26.8 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.5 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%7–9.2 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.4%12.7–18.4 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.1%16.2–22.2 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.6%26.6–36.7 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%14.9–21.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.2%34–48.5 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 20.7%17.5–24 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.1%67.8–76.1 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.7%44.9–52.4 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.4%79.1–83.8 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.6%69.3–75.6 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.3%53–63.5 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.9%61.2–77.6 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%18.7–25.8 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.5%30.5–38.8 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.3%21.1–25.5 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20%18–22.3 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.3%11.8–14.8 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.4%11.4–13.6 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.3%15.5–19.2 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.7%31.8–41.7 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.5%14.3–19 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.4%16–20.8 | 15.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.2–7.9 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 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 Rusk
Is Rusk a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rusk is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #465 of 641 in Texas. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rusk?
CDC estimates 36.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.6% and 45.5%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rusk?
Christus Mother Frances Hospital- Jacksonville in Jacksonville, 11.3 miles in a straight line from Rusk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Rusk have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 20.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17.5–24%), 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 Rusk 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 Rusk.
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.