Health · Union

Union, MO health

Union differs from Missouri on 17 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (25.8% vs 15.8%) and more adults with COPD (12.4% vs 8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 64759, 64784
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Union’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Union is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns.

C-Self-rated healthDPhysical distressCMental distressCObesityC-DiabetesDSmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 12%
Less healthyHealthier
Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 31%
Towns with similar incomes, $41K–$68K (6,548)Healthier than 23%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Union 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 Union 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. Union’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 Union 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 Union adults…

42 of every 100 Union adults have high blood pressure
Missouri: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 37.2–46.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Union, betterUnion, worseToo close to callMissouri
Get no exerciseshare of adults 35.7% Union
MO 28.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38.6% Union
MO 36.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15% Union
MO 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 22.1% Union
MO 16%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%
Yearly checkup
MO 78%
50%
Dentist visit
MO 60%
82%
Cholesterol check
MO 85%
61%
Colon screening
MO 64%
68%
Mammogram
MO 75%
79%
Taking BP meds
MO 77%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Union 10.6% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Union adults are doing

1 in 3Union adults feel lonely
31% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Union adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.4% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Union adults lack social or emotional support
20.1% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Union adults are in frequent mental distress
19.6% · 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
Union adults worry about having enough food
18.5% · MO 13.7% · worse
1 in 7
Union adults worry about keeping their housing
14% · MO 12.1% · about the same
1 in 9
Union adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
11.1% · MO 9% · worse
1 in 9
Union adults lack reliable transportation
10.8% · MO 8.4% · worse

17% of Union adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.

Disability

Living with a disability

44%

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

Walking or climbing stairs21.8%
Thinking or memory21.2%
Hearing11.2%
Errands alone12.6%
Vision7.3%
Dressing or bathing5.8%

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

Around Union

Union 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 Union.

Barton City: 39.9% Drywood: 37.3% Lamar: 41.5% Doylesport: 39.2% Central: 40.8% Leroy: 39.1% Moundville: 36% Dover: 37.5% Center: 37.3% Richland: 40.3% Northfork: 40.3% Newport: 41.5% Milford: 41.3% Montevallo: 37.8% Ozark: 39.1% Nashville: 39.5% Union: 40.8% Union Barton City Drywood Lamar Doylesport Central Cox Barton County Hospital · Lamar · 7.4 miH Nevada Regional Medical Center · Nevada · 15.4 miH Access Family Care - Lamar · Lamar · 8.1 mi+ Compass Health · Nevada · 15.8 mi+
36%41.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#13 of 17towns on this map, healthiest first
Drywood37.3%
Doylesport39.2%
Barton City39.9%
Union40.8%
Central40.8%
Lamar41.5%
6 places to get careNearest ER 7.4 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 Union

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

HNearest ERCox Barton County HospitalLamar · 7.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMercy Hospital Pittsburg★★★★★ · 26.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOzark Tri-County Health Care ConsortiumLamar · 8.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.4 mi
Cox Barton County Hospital
Lamar · not rated
ERRural critical access
8.1 mi
Ozark Tri-County Health Care Consortium
2 sites · nearest in Lamar
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
15.4 mi
Nevada Regional Medical Center
Nevada · not rated
ER
15.8 mi
Compass Health
3 sites · nearest in Nevada
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
23.5 mi
Cedar County Memorial Hospital
El Dorado Springs · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.5 mi
Mercy Hospital Pittsburg
Pittsburg · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careUnion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Vernon/Barton Counties · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careUnion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Barton County · need score 20 of 25
! Mental healthUnion'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 Union. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Union
MeasureUnionMarginMissouri
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.6%37.2–46.2%36.5%worse
High cholesterol40.5%36.1–45.2%37.5%about the same
Obesity40.8%32.4–50%36.6%about the same
Arthritis34.4%30.8–38.3%28.8%worse
Depression26.4%22.6–30.6%24.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)25.8%21.8–30.3%15.8%worse
Asthma11.4%10.1–13%10.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.6%8.7–10.6%8.6%worse
Diabetes15.1%13.1–17.4%12.1%worse
COPD12.4%10.9–14%8%worse
Heart disease9.4%8.4–10.5%6.8%worse
Stroke4.9%4.4–5.4%3.6%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22.1%19–25.3%16%worse
Binge drink15%12.3–18.3%16.3%about the same
Get no exercise35.7%30.5–41.2%28.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours38.6%31.6–46.1%36.5%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.4%74.7–82%78.4%about the same
Dentist visit49.9%46–53.7%60.4%worse
Cholesterol check82.3%80–84.5%84.5%about the same
Colon screening60.6%55–66%64%about the same
Mammogram68%58.9–76.2%74.7%about the same
Taking BP meds79.1%76.3–81.7%77.2%about the same
No health insurance10.6%8.8–12.8%8.7%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31%26–36.3%31.7%about the same
Lack emotional support20.1%16.9–23.5%20.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress19.6%17.3–22%17.5%about the same
Fair or poor health27.4%24–31%20.5%worse
Frequent physical distress18.5%16.4–20.8%14.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity18.5%15.5–21.6%13.7%worse
Housing insecurity14%11.9–16.2%12.1%about the same
Utility shut-off threat11.1%9.6–12.7%9%worse
No reliable transportation10.8%9.4–12.2%8.4%worse
Receive SNAP17%14.3–19.8%10.8%
Disability
Any disability44%39.2–49.2%36.2%
Walking or climbing stairs21.8%19.2–24.6%15.8%
Thinking or memory21.2%18.8–23.7%17.2%
Hearing11.2%10–12.5%8.3%
Vision7.3%6.5–8.1%5.1%
Dressing or bathing5.8%5.2–6.5%3.9%
Errands alone12.6%11.2–14.2%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 Union door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Missouri figure falls inside it, we don't call Union better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Union by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Union 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