On CDC estimates, Tatum is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns
Tatum trails Texas on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tatum. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tatum
COPD and asthma run high in Tatum
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.1%), vs 5.7% across Texas. 1 in 9 adults have asthma (11%), vs 9.5% across Texas. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Tatum
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15.3%), vs 12.5% across Texas. Habits ↓
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 Tatum’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Tatum’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tatum is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 45% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Tatum’s median household income is $77,404; among the 10,802 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$97K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Tatum adults…
Tatum runs above TX on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Tatum residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Tatum
No hospital or community health center in Tatum 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 Tatum; ≈ 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 Tatum adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Tatum adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Tatum 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.3% of Tatum adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Tatum and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatum | C | 37.5% | 12.5% | 15.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tatum adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tatum
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tatum is better than Texas on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Tatum’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tatum | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.9%20–25.8 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.7–16.2 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.3–21.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%30–44.9 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%11–14.1 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.9–39.1 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%30.8–38.3 | 35.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.5%21.9–27.2 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.3 | 9.5% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.7%6.1–7.3 | 6.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.4–6.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%6.2–8 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–3.9 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%12.1–17.3 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%12.9–17.6 | 12.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29%24.6–33.6 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.3–20 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.3%35–48.8 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.5%13.9–19.3 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.9%70.4–77.3 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.2%46.8–54 | 54.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%81.9–86 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.7%72.1–77.1 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.6%53.9–63.8 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.9%66.1–79.9 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%21–27.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.1%25.8–32.6 | 28.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22%20–24 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.8%17–20.8 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13%11.6–14.5 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%11.1–13.2 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.3%17.5–21.2 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%30–38.7 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%13.5–17.5 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15–19.3 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 6.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.4–6.7 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.4–10.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 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 Tatum
Is Tatum a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tatum is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Tatum?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 44.9%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tatum?
UT Health East Texas Carthage Hospital in Carthage, 14.4 miles in a straight line from Tatum’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Tatum have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.9–19.3%), 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 Tatum 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 Tatum.
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.