Health · Steele
Steele, AL health
Steele differs from Alabama on 5 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (6.2% vs 9.6%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (12.9% vs 19.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10% vs 8.2%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for SteeleTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C+
Steele’s Health Grade: C+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Steele is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns and 73% of Alabama towns.
C+Self-rated healthB-Physical distressB-Mental distressC+ObesityC+DiabetesB-SmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 43%
Less healthyHealthier
Alabama towns we grade (319)Healthier than 73%
Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$90K (9,729)Healthier than 50%
About what its income would suggest. Steele does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Steele could be anywhere from D to A−.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Alabama ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Steele with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Steele uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Steele compares with Alabama
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
38% have obesity
0 better11 close1 worse
Habits
26.9% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
79.9% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
36% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
12.9% face food insecurity
4 better1 close0 worse
Disability
36.3% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Steele adults…
41 of every 100 Steele adults have high blood pressure
Alabama: 43 in 100 · too close to call · margin 37.1–45.9%
Bars show Steele; the black tick is Alabama. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Steele, betterSteele, worseToo close to callAlabama
Get no exerciseshare of adults
26.9% Steele
AL 28.7%
AL 28.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
35.7% Steele
AL 39.1%
AL 39.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults
15.6% Steele
AL 14.1%
AL 14.1%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
14.4% Steele
AL 15.1%
AL 15.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Steele adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
Yearly checkup
AL 80%Dentist visit
AL 57%Cholesterol check
AL 86%Colon screening
AL 67%Mammogram
AL 78%Taking BP meds
AL 78%1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Steele 8.9% · Alabama 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection
How Steele adults are doing
1 in 3Steele adults feel lonely
36% · Alabama 35.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Steele adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.5% · Alabama 23.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Steele adults lack social or emotional support
23.6% · Alabama 24.8% · too close to call
1 in 6Steele adults are in frequent mental distress
17.2% · Alabama 17.2% · too close to call
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 8
Steele adults worry about having enough food
12.9% · AL 19.2% · better
1 in 10
Steele adults worry about keeping their housing
9.7% · AL 13.9% · better
1 in 16
Steele adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.2% · AL 9.6% · better
1 in 14
Steele adults lack reliable transportation
7% · AL 9.8% · better
8.1% of Steele adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Disability
Living with a disability
36.3%
of Steele adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs15.9%
Thinking or memory15.6%
Hearing9.3%
Errands alone8.8%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.7%
Black tick: Alabama. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Steele
No hospital or community health center in Steele itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERRiverview Regional Medical CenterGadsden · 11.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careQuality of Life Health ServicesGadsden · 10.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10.1 mi
Quality of Life Health Services
8 sites · nearest in Gadsden
Canterberry Family PracticeGadsden · 10.1 mi
W. T. Scruggs Medical CenterWalnut Grove · 10.7 mi
Roberta O. Watts Medical CenterGadsden · 11.7 mi
Procare - Colley HomesGadsden · 11.9 mi
Gadsden Family and Student Health SolutionsGadsden · 13.6 mi
J.W. Stewart Neighborhood Health CenterGadsden · 13.9 mi
Quality of Life Health ComplexGadsden · 14.1 mi
Blount County Quality Health CareOneonta · 15.8 mi
Nothing matches.
✓ Primary careSteele is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careSteele is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthSteele is not a shortage area
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 Steele. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
All 40 measures for Steele
| Measure | Steele | Margin | Alabama | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 41.4% | 37.1–45.9% | 43.3% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 43.8% | 39.2–48.3% | 40.7% | about the same |
| Obesity | 38% | 30.6–45.9% | 39.4% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 32.7% | 29.2–36.3% | 30.3% | about the same |
| Depression | 25.5% | 21.7–29.6% | 23.3% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 14.7% | 11.6–17.8% | 15.4% | about the same |
| Asthma | 9.8% | 8.6–11.2% | 10% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 10% | 8.9–11% | 8.2% | worse |
| Diabetes | 12.8% | 10.9–14.8% | 14.8% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.1% | 6.7–9.6% | 8% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 7.5% | 6.6–8.5% | 7.3% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.8% | 3.3–4.3% | 4.1% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4% | 11.8–17.4% | 15.1% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 15.6% | 12.7–18.9% | 14.1% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 26.9% | 22.1–32.1% | 28.7% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7% | 29.5–42.2% | 39.1% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 79.9% | 76.2–83.2% | 80.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 53.2% | 48.8–57.2% | 56.9% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 86.6% | 84.3–88.8% | 85.8% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 65.6% | 60.6–70.4% | 67% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 71.6% | 63.2–79.1% | 77.9% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.8% | 75.9–81.5% | 78% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 8.9% | 6.9–11.1% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 36% | 30.8–41.4% | 35.4% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 23.6% | 20–27.8% | 24.8% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 17.2% | 15.1–19.5% | 17.2% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 20.4% | 17–23.9% | 22.8% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.4% | 12.4–16.6% | 14.2% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 12.9% | 10.4–16.2% | 19.2% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 9.7% | 7.9–11.8% | 13.9% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.2% | 5.2–7.3% | 9.6% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 7% | 6–8.4% | 9.8% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 8.1% | 6.4–10.4% | 14% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.3% | 31.3–41.4% | 36.5% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 15.9% | 13.3–18.6% | 17.1% | |
| Thinking or memory | 15.6% | 13.4–18.1% | 16.1% | |
| Hearing | 9.3% | 8.1–10.5% | 8.2% | |
| Vision | 4.7% | 4.1–5.5% | 6% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.7% | 3.2–4.3% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 8.8% | 7.5–10.2% | 9.8% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Steele door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Alabama figure falls inside it, we don't call Steele better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Steele directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.