Health · Licking
Licking, MO health
Licking differs from Missouri on 24 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (6.6% vs 8.6%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing food insecurity (27% vs 13.7%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for LickingTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D−
Licking’s Health Grade: D−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Licking is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns, and than 24% of towns with similar incomes.
DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressD-ObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingD-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 3%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 9%
Towns with similar incomes, $27K–$45K (1,338)Healthier than 24%
Better than its income would suggest. Licking is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D−.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Licking 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 Licking 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. Licking 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 Licking 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
46.6% have obesity
1 better4 close7 worse
Habits
39.2% get no exercise
0 better1 close3 worse
Care & screenings
75% had a checkup
0 better2 close5 worse
Mind & connection
33% feel lonely
0 better1 close4 worse
Everyday needs
27% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
46.2% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Licking adults…
44 of every 100 Licking adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 39.5–48.5%
Bars show Licking; the black tick is Missouri. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Licking, betterLicking, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults
39.2% Licking
MO 28.8%
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
44.7% Licking
MO 36.5%
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults
16.6% Licking
MO 16.3%
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
26.5% Licking
MO 16%
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Licking adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
Yearly checkup
MO 78%Dentist visit
MO 60%Cholesterol check
MO 85%Colon screening
MO 64%Mammogram
MO 75%Taking BP meds
MO 77%1 in 6
working-age adults has no health insurance
Licking 15.7% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Licking adults are doing
1 in 3Licking adults feel lonely
33% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Licking adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.8% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Licking adults lack social or emotional support
25.7% · Missouri 20.1% · worse
1 in 5Licking adults are in frequent mental distress
20.5% · Missouri 17.5% · worse
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 4
Licking adults worry about having enough food
27% · MO 13.7% · worse
1 in 5
Licking adults worry about keeping their housing
21.3% · MO 12.1% · worse
1 in 6
Licking adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
17.4% · MO 9% · worse
1 in 6
Licking adults lack reliable transportation
15.4% · MO 8.4% · worse
25% of Licking adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Disability
Living with a disability
46.2%
of Licking adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs20.4%
Thinking or memory23.7%
Hearing10.1%
Errands alone13%
Vision8.4%
Dressing or bathing6.4%
Black tick: Missouri. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Licking
No hospital or community health center in Licking itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERTexas County Memorial HospitalHouston · 13.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careDouglas County Public Health Services GroupHouston · 13.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
13.9 mi
Douglas County Public Health Services Group
2 sites · nearest in Houston
Missouri Ozarks Community Health-HoustonHouston · 13.9 mi
Missouri Ozarks Community HealthCabool · 29.4 mi
19.8 mi
South Central Missouri Community Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Salem
Four Rivers Community Health Center - SalemSalem · 19.8 mi
Four Rivers Community Health Center SalemSalem · 20 mi
Four Rivers Community Health Center St. RobertSaint Robert · 27 mi
Four Rivers Community Health Center - Bishop AveRolla · 29.9 mi
Pediatric Dentistry of the OzarksRolla · 31.4 mi
21.5 mi
General Leonard Wood Ach (Ft Leonard Wood)
Fort Leonard Wood · not rated
Nothing matches.
! Primary careLicking's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Texas County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careLicking's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Texas County · need score 18 of 25
! Mental healthLicking's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Region 18 MHCA · 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 Licking. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Licking
| Measure | Licking | Margin | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 43.9% | 39.5–48.5% | 36.5% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 36.3% | 32.1–40.9% | 37.5% | about the same |
| Obesity | 46.6% | 38.7–54.9% | 36.6% | worse |
| Arthritis | 27.5% | 24.5–30.8% | 28.8% | about the same |
| Depression | 22.8% | 19.5–26.7% | 24.3% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 28.9% | 24.3–33.5% | 15.8% | worse |
| Asthma | 10.1% | 8.9–11.5% | 10.6% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 6.6% | 5.9–7.3% | 8.6% | better |
| Diabetes | 15.6% | 13.7–17.8% | 12.1% | worse |
| COPD | 11.2% | 9.8–13% | 8% | worse |
| Heart disease | 8.5% | 7.6–9.6% | 6.8% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3% | 3.6% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 26.5% | 22.7–30.8% | 16% | worse |
| Binge drink | 16.6% | 13.7–20.1% | 16.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 39.2% | 33.7–45.2% | 28.8% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.7% | 37.6–51.7% | 36.5% | worse |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 75% | 70.8–78.8% | 78.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 44.3% | 40.5–47.9% | 60.4% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 75.8% | 72.4–78.8% | 84.5% | worse |
| Colon screening | 53.1% | 47.6–58.4% | 64% | worse |
| Mammogram | 68.6% | 59.7–76.5% | 74.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 72.2% | 69.1–75.3% | 77.2% | worse |
| No health insurance | 15.7% | 12.4–19.7% | 8.7% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33% | 28–38.3% | 31.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 25.7% | 21.7–29.9% | 20.1% | worse |
| Frequent mental distress | 20.5% | 18.3–23.3% | 17.5% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 31.4% | 27.5–35.9% | 20.5% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 17.7% | 15.7–20.2% | 14.2% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 27% | 22.5–31.7% | 13.7% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 21.3% | 18–24.8% | 12.1% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 17.4% | 14.9–20% | 9% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 15.4% | 13.1–17.9% | 8.4% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 25% | 20.7–29.5% | 10.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 46.2% | 41.2–52% | 36.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 20.4% | 17.8–23.2% | 15.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 23.7% | 20.9–27.1% | 17.2% | |
| Hearing | 10.1% | 9–11.3% | 8.3% | |
| Vision | 8.4% | 7.4–9.6% | 5.1% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 6.4% | 5.6–7.4% | 3.9% | |
| Errands alone | 13% | 11.5–15% | 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 Licking door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Licking better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Licking 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.