Health · Ashland

Ashland, MO health

Ashland differs from Missouri on 21 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (7.3% vs 15.8%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (8.1% vs 13.7%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (20.2% vs 16.3%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Ashland
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Ashland’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns and 95% of Missouri towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressB+Mental distressAObesityA+DiabetesA-SmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 88%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 95%
Towns with similar incomes, $70K–$116K (8,782)Healthier than 93%

About what its income would suggest. Ashland does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Ashland could be anywhere from B+ 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 Missouri 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 Ashland 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. Ashland 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 Ashland compares with Missouri

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

Out of every 100 Ashland adults…

28 of every 100 Ashland adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · better · margin 24.8–31.6%

Bars show Ashland; the black tick is Missouri. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Ashland, betterAshland, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults 20.4% Ashland
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.1% Ashland
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 20.2% Ashland
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.6% Ashland
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Ashland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.

76%
Yearly checkup
MO 78%
65%
Dentist visit
MO 60%
85%
Cholesterol check
MO 85%
64%
Colon screening
MO 64%
76%
Mammogram
MO 75%
73%
Taking BP meds
MO 77%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Ashland 6.5% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Ashland adults are doing

1 in 4Ashland adults feel lonely
28.5% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Ashland adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.1% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 6Ashland adults lack social or emotional support
17.3% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 6Ashland adults are in frequent mental distress
16% · Missouri 17.5% · 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 12
Ashland adults worry about having enough food
8.1% · MO 13.7% · better
1 in 12
Ashland adults worry about keeping their housing
8.3% · MO 12.1% · better
1 in 17
Ashland adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.8% · MO 9% · better
1 in 18
Ashland adults lack reliable transportation
5.7% · MO 8.4% · better

5.6% of Ashland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.

Disability

Living with a disability

28.4%

of Ashland adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs10.7%
Thinking or memory14.5%
Hearing6.2%
Errands alone6.7%
Vision3.2%
Dressing or bathing2.5%

Black tick: Missouri. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Ashland

No hospital or community health center in Ashland itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERColumbia Mo VA Medical CenterColumbia · 9.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyBoone Hospital Center★★★★★ · 10.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCompass HealthColumbia · 9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
9 mi
Compass Health
6 sites · nearest in Columbia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
9.9 mi
Columbia Mo VA Medical Center
Columbia · ★★★★★
ERVA
≈10.4 mi
University of Missouri Health Care
Columbia · ★★★★★
ER
10.4 mi
Boone Hospital Center
Columbia · ★★★★★
ER
10.4 mi
Preferred Family Healthcare, Incorporated
2 sites · nearest in Columbia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16.7 mi
Ssm Health St. Mary's Hospital - Jefferson City
Jefferson City · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careAshland's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Boone County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careAshland's county is a federal shortage area.Boone County · need score 11 of 25
! Mental healthAshland's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA 12 Columbia · need score 17 of 25

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 Ashland. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Ashland
MeasureAshlandMarginMissouri
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure28.2%24.8–31.6%36.5%better
High cholesterol33.4%29.6–37.3%37.5%better
Obesity28.5%23.4–34.2%36.6%better
Arthritis23.5%20.8–26.4%28.8%better
Depression24.1%20.8–27.7%24.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)7.3%5.9–9.1%15.8%better
Asthma10.2%9–11.5%10.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.9%7.1–8.7%8.6%about the same
Diabetes7.8%6.7–9.1%12.1%better
COPD5.3%4.4–6.2%8%better
Heart disease4.5%3.9–5.1%6.8%better
Stroke2.4%2.1–2.7%3.6%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.6%9.2–14.3%16%better
Binge drink20.2%16.9–23.6%16.3%worse
Get no exercise20.4%16.8–24.3%28.8%better
Sleep under 7 hours34.1%29.3–39.2%36.5%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.4%72.7–79.9%78.4%about the same
Dentist visit65.2%62–68.5%60.4%better
Cholesterol check85.1%82.6–87.4%84.5%about the same
Colon screening64.1%59.4–68.8%64%about the same
Mammogram76.1%69–82.3%74.7%about the same
Taking BP meds72.5%68.9–75.6%77.2%worse
No health insurance6.5%4.9–8.3%8.7%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely28.5%24.1–33.1%31.7%about the same
Lack emotional support17.3%14.2–20.5%20.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress16%13.9–18.1%17.5%about the same
Fair or poor health14.1%11.8–16.7%20.5%better
Frequent physical distress11.1%9.5–12.7%14.2%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8.1%6–10.3%13.7%better
Housing insecurity8.3%6.4–10.2%12.1%better
Utility shut-off threat5.8%4.7–6.9%9%better
No reliable transportation5.7%4.7–6.8%8.4%better
Receive SNAP5.6%4.1–7.4%10.8%
Disability
Any disability28.4%24.3–32.5%36.2%
Walking or climbing stairs10.7%9.1–12.6%15.8%
Thinking or memory14.5%12.3–16.9%17.2%
Hearing6.2%5.4–7%8.3%
Vision3.2%2.7–3.7%5.1%
Dressing or bathing2.5%2.1–2.9%3.9%
Errands alone6.7%5.7–7.8%9.2%
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 Ashland door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Ashland better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Ashland directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri 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.

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