Health · Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff, MO health
Poplar Bluff differs from Missouri on 20 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (29.3% vs 15.8%) and more adults facing food insecurity (25.3% vs 13.7%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Poplar BluffTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D−
Poplar Bluff’s Health Grade: D−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Poplar Bluff is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns.
D-Self-rated healthD-Physical distressD-Mental distressDObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingD-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 2%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 7%
Towns with similar incomes, $31K–$52K (2,852)Healthier than 9%
About what its income would suggest. Poplar Bluff does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Poplar Bluff could be anywhere from D− to D.
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 Poplar Bluff 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. Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff 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
42.9% have obesity
0 better4 close8 worse
Habits
40.9% get no exercise
0 better2 close2 worse
Care & screenings
78% had a checkup
0 better4 close3 worse
Mind & connection
34.3% feel lonely
0 better2 close3 worse
Everyday needs
25.3% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
47.8% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Poplar Bluff adults…
43 of every 100 Poplar Bluff adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 39.3–47.6%
Bars show Poplar Bluff; the black tick is Missouri. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Poplar Bluff, betterPoplar Bluff, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults
40.9% Poplar Bluff
MO 28.8%
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
42.1% Poplar Bluff
MO 36.5%
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults
13.8% Poplar Bluff
MO 16.3%
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
24.3% Poplar Bluff
MO 16%
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Poplar Bluff 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 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Poplar Bluff 13% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Poplar Bluff adults are doing
1 in 3Poplar Bluff adults feel lonely
34.3% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Poplar Bluff adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.1% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Poplar Bluff adults lack social or emotional support
22.6% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Poplar Bluff adults are in frequent mental distress
21.7% · 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
Poplar Bluff adults worry about having enough food
25.3% · MO 13.7% · worse
1 in 5
Poplar Bluff adults worry about keeping their housing
18.5% · MO 12.1% · worse
1 in 7
Poplar Bluff adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
15.1% · MO 9% · worse
1 in 7
Poplar Bluff adults lack reliable transportation
14% · MO 8.4% · worse
23.9% of Poplar Bluff adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Disability
Living with a disability
47.8%
of Poplar Bluff adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs23.5%
Thinking or memory24.2%
Hearing10.9%
Errands alone14.8%
Vision8.8%
Dressing or bathing6.7%
Black tick: Missouri. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Poplar Bluff
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Poplar Bluff, plus the nearest just outside it.
HNearest ERPoplar Bluff Regional Medical CenterPoplar Bluff · 2.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careBig Springs Medical AssociationPoplar Bluff · 0.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.6 mi
Big Springs Medical Association
9 sites · nearest in Poplar Bluff
Missouri Highlands Dental - Poplar BluffPoplar Bluff · 0.6 mi
Missouri Highlands Health Care - Poplar BluffPoplar Bluff · 1.8 mi
Missouri Highlands Ob/Gyn & Pediatric ClinicPoplar Bluff · 2 mi
Missouri Highlands Clinical LabPoplar Bluff · 2 mi
Poplar Bluff Regional Medical CenterPoplar Bluff · 2.3 mi
Missouri Highlands Clinical LabPoplar Bluff · 2.4 mi
Missouri Highlands Health Care - Poplar BluffPoplar Bluff · 2.5 mi
Missouri Highlands Pediatrics - Poplar BluffPoplar Bluff · 2.5 mi
Missouri Highlands Health Care Family Care ClinicPoplar Bluff · 2.8 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary carePoplar Bluff's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Butler County · need score 20 of 25
! Dental carePoplar Bluff's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Butler County · need score 20 of 25
! Mental healthPoplar Bluff's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA 19 · need score 19 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 Poplar Bluff. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Poplar Bluff
| Measure | Poplar Bluff | Margin | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 43.4% | 39.3–47.6% | 36.5% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 40.4% | 36.2–44.8% | 37.5% | about the same |
| Obesity | 42.9% | 35.5–50.6% | 36.6% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 34.4% | 31–37.9% | 28.8% | worse |
| Depression | 28.1% | 24.2–32.3% | 24.3% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 29.3% | 24.8–34.1% | 15.8% | worse |
| Asthma | 12.2% | 10.7–13.7% | 10.6% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.5% | 7.8–9.4% | 8.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 16.3% | 14.3–18.5% | 12.1% | worse |
| COPD | 13.1% | 11.7–14.5% | 8% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.3% | 8.3–10.3% | 6.8% | worse |
| Stroke | 5.2% | 4.8–5.7% | 3.6% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.3% | 21.4–27.4% | 16% | worse |
| Binge drink | 13.8% | 11.4–16.7% | 16.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 40.9% | 35.8–46.4% | 28.8% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.1% | 35.5–48.9% | 36.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78% | 74.4–81.4% | 78.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 44.9% | 41.1–48.5% | 60.4% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 79.6% | 77.4–81.8% | 84.5% | worse |
| Colon screening | 59.2% | 53.9–64.2% | 64% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 67.4% | 58.7–75.4% | 74.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 77.5% | 74.9–80% | 77.2% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 13% | 11.1–15.1% | 8.7% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 34.3% | 29.2–39.5% | 31.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 22.6% | 19.1–26% | 20.1% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 21.7% | 19.3–24.3% | 17.5% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 31.6% | 28.2–35% | 20.5% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 19.8% | 17.6–22.2% | 14.2% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 25.3% | 22.2–28.5% | 13.7% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 18.5% | 16.2–20.9% | 12.1% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 15.1% | 13.3–17% | 9% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 14% | 12.4–15.6% | 8.4% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 23.9% | 21.1–26.7% | 10.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47.8% | 43–52.7% | 36.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 23.5% | 20.9–26% | 15.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 24.2% | 21.7–26.7% | 17.2% | |
| Hearing | 10.9% | 9.7–12.1% | 8.3% | |
| Vision | 8.8% | 8–9.6% | 5.1% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 6.7% | 6.1–7.4% | 3.9% | |
| Errands alone | 14.8% | 13.3–16.4% | 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 Poplar Bluff door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Poplar Bluff better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Poplar Bluff 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.