Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Sterling City is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Sterling City differs from Texas on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sterling City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sterling City
Sterling City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sterling City is healthier than 73%. Against the 10,157 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 92%. Health Grade ↓
Sterling City is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Sterling City’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 ↓
The nearest ER is 32 miles from Sterling City
The closest emergency room is Mitchell County Hospital District in Colorado City, 32.3 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Cancer runs high in Sterling City
1 in 13 adults have had cancer (7.8%), vs 6.1% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Sterling City keeps up with checkups
It beats Texas on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (59.7% vs 54.6%) and cholesterol checks (87.6% vs 84.6%). 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 Sterling City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Sterling City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling City is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 82% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 58%.
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). Sterling City’s median household income is $66,615; among the 10,157 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 92%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Sterling City
No hospital or community health center in Sterling City 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 Sterling City; ≈ 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 Sterling City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
Out of every 100 Sterling City adults…
Sterling City runs above TX on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Sterling City 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.4% of Sterling City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Sterling City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling City | B+ | 33.3% | 11.4% | 11% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sterling City adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sterling City
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sterling City is better than Texas on 9 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Sterling City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sterling City | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%15.4–21.3 | 21.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.7–14.3 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.5–17.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.3%25.3–42.3 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.8–13.2 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33%28.9–37.3 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.2%32.7–42 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.6%20.5–26.9 | 21.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.1%8–10.3 | 9.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%6.9–8.6 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.2%4.3–6.2 | 5.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%8.9–13.4 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.5%20–29.7 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%14.9–21.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%32.7–38.8 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.6%12.7–19 | 19.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.4%70.3–78.3 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.7%57.7–61.8 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.5–89.5 | 84.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.5%73.3–79.4 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.9%64.6–69.3 | 57.9% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.1%69.1–76.9 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%17.7–24.5 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.4%25.4–29.3 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.7%14.8–16.7 | 19.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.4%12.6–14.3 | 16.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7.6–8.9 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%8.1–9.2 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.4%9.6–11.2 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.4–33.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.6%10.6–14.7 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11–15.1 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.8–5 | 6.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.6–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.5 | 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 Sterling City
Is Sterling City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling City is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sterling City?
CDC estimates 33.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.3% and 42.3%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Sterling City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.7–19%), 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 Sterling City 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 Sterling City.
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.