Health · Lamar

Lamar, MO health

Lamar differs from Missouri on 19 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (26.8% vs 15.8%) and more adults with COPD (12.9% vs 8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP code 64759 (all of Lamar)
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Lamar’s Health Grade: D−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Lamar is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthD-Physical distressDMental distressDObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 5%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 14%
Towns with similar incomes, $43K–$71K (7,286)Healthier than 6%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Lamar could be anywhere from D− to C.
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 Lamar 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. Lamar’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. 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 Lamar 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 Lamar adults…

42 of every 100 Lamar adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 37.8–46.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Lamar, betterLamar, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults 36.6% Lamar
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38.6% Lamar
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.7% Lamar
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 22.6% Lamar
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
MO 78%
49%
Dentist visit
MO 60%
82%
Cholesterol check
MO 85%
60%
Colon screening
MO 64%
68%
Mammogram
MO 75%
79%
Taking BP meds
MO 77%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Lamar 10.9% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Lamar adults are doing

1 in 3Lamar adults feel lonely
31% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Lamar adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.4% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Lamar adults lack social or emotional support
20.2% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Lamar adults are in frequent mental distress
19.8% · 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 5
Lamar adults worry about having enough food
19.3% · MO 13.7% · worse
1 in 7
Lamar adults worry about keeping their housing
14.4% · MO 12.1% · worse
1 in 9
Lamar adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
11.5% · MO 9% · worse
1 in 9
Lamar adults lack reliable transportation
11.2% · MO 8.4% · worse

18% of Lamar adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.

Disability

Living with a disability

44.9%

of Lamar adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs22.6%
Thinking or memory21.7%
Hearing11.5%
Errands alone13.1%
Vision7.6%
Dressing or bathing6.1%

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

Around Lamar

Lamar and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Lamar.

Richland: 40.3% Northfork: 40.3% Central: 40.8% Newport: 41.5% Union: 40.8% Golden City: 41.3% Nashville: 39.5% Ozark: 39.1% Barton City: 39.9% Milford: 41.3% Drywood: 37.3% Doylesport: 39.2% Lamar: 41.5% Lamar Richland Northfork Central Newport Union Cox Barton County Hospital · Lamar · 2.5 miH Access Family Care Lamar Dental · Lamar · 1.4 mi+
37.3%41.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#12 of 13towns on this map, healthiest first
Richland40.3%
Northfork40.3%
Central40.8%
Union40.8%
Lamar41.5%
Newport41.5%
6 places to get careNearest ER 2.5 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Lamar

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

HNearest ERCox Barton County HospitalLamar · 2.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMercy Hospital Carthage★★★★★ · 22.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOzark Tri-County Health Care ConsortiumLamar · 1.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.4 mi
Ozark Tri-County Health Care Consortium
2 sites · nearest in Lamar
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
2.5 mi
Cox Barton County Hospital
Lamar · not rated
ERRural critical access
22.1 mi
Mercy Hospital Carthage
Carthage · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
23 mi
Nevada Regional Medical Center
Nevada · not rated
ER
23.2 mi
Ochc - Greenfield Dental Clinic
Greenfield · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
26.2 mi
Mercy Hospital Pittsburg
Pittsburg · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careLamar's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Vernon/Barton Counties · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careLamar's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Barton County · need score 20 of 25
! Mental healthLamar's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Joplin MHCA #9 · need score 18 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 Lamar. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Lamar
MeasureLamarMarginMissouri
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure42.2%37.8–46.9%36.5%worse
High cholesterol40.7%36.2–45.5%37.5%about the same
Obesity41.5%32.9–51%36.6%about the same
Arthritis34.9%31.3–38.9%28.8%worse
Depression26.4%22.6–30.8%24.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)26.8%22.6–31.4%15.8%worse
Asthma11.5%10.2–13.1%10.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.7%8.8–10.7%8.6%worse
Diabetes15.6%13.5–17.9%12.1%worse
COPD12.9%11.4–14.6%8%worse
Heart disease9.7%8.7–10.8%6.8%worse
Stroke5.1%4.6–5.6%3.6%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22.6%19.4–25.8%16%worse
Binge drink14.7%12–18.1%16.3%about the same
Get no exercise36.6%31.2–42.2%28.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours38.6%31.5–46.2%36.5%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.5%74.7–82.2%78.4%about the same
Dentist visit48.5%44.6–52.4%60.4%worse
Cholesterol check82%79.6–84.3%84.5%worse
Colon screening60.4%54.7–65.8%64%about the same
Mammogram67.5%58.1–75.7%74.7%about the same
Taking BP meds79.3%76.6–82%77.2%about the same
No health insurance10.9%9.1–13.2%8.7%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31%25.9–36.3%31.7%about the same
Lack emotional support20.2%16.9–23.6%20.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress19.8%17.5–22.3%17.5%about the same
Fair or poor health28.3%24.8–31.9%20.5%worse
Frequent physical distress19%16.8–21.3%14.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity19.3%16.2–22.5%13.7%worse
Housing insecurity14.4%12.3–16.7%12.1%worse
Utility shut-off threat11.5%10–13.2%9%worse
No reliable transportation11.2%9.8–12.7%8.4%worse
Receive SNAP18%15.2–20.9%10.8%
Disability
Any disability44.9%40–50.1%36.2%
Walking or climbing stairs22.6%19.9–25.5%15.8%
Thinking or memory21.7%19.2–24.2%17.2%
Hearing11.5%10.3–12.9%8.3%
Vision7.6%6.8–8.5%5.1%
Dressing or bathing6.1%5.4–6.8%3.9%
Errands alone13.1%11.6–14.7%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 Lamar door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Lamar better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Lamar by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Lamar by how much of its land each one covers.

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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01