Photo: Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Sour Lake is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns
Sour Lake differs from Texas on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sour Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sour Lake
Sour Lake is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Sour Lake’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Cancer and COPD run high in Sour Lake
1 in 12 adults have had cancer (8.5%), vs 6.1% across Texas. 1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.1%), vs 5.7% across Texas. In all, Sour Lake runs above Texas on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Sour Lake adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Texas. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 5 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Sour Lake is insured
Only 11.6% 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 Sour Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Sour Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sour Lake is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 76% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Sour Lake’s median household income is $73,241; among the 10,761 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 70%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Sour Lake
No hospital or community health center in Sour Lake 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 Sour Lake; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Sour Lake adults…
Sour Lake runs above TX on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.4% of Sour Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sour Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Sour Lake 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.
Sour Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sour Lake | B | 32% | 11.1% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sour Lake adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sour Lake
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sour Lake is better than Texas on 6 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Sour Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sour Lake | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19%15.9–22.3 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.7–15.7 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%15.8–20.7 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%24.3–40.2 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.5–12.9 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.3–38.7 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%32.6–41.4 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.2%23–29.6 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.6–9.3 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.3–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%5.9–8.4 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.3%14.2–20.4 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%11.5–17.2 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%20.2–29.8 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15–21.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.1%32.8–45.4 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.6%9–14.4 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.5%70.5–78.2 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%52.1–59.5 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%83.9–88.2 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.4–79.2 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.4%58.3–68.1 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%62.8–78 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.1–28.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.1–29.1 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.3%11–13.7 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.6–12.2 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.6–8 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%26.7–36.4 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%11.7–16.4 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%12.7–17.4 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.1–8 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%6.9–9.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%2.9–4 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Sour Lake
Is Sour Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sour Lake is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 70%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sour Lake?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.3% and 40.2%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sour Lake?
Altus Lumberton Hospital in Lumberton, 13.9 miles in a straight line from Sour Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sour Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–14.4%), 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 Sour Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sour Lake.
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.