Health · Union

Union, MO health

Union differs from Missouri on 17 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (12.7% vs 8%) and more adults with heart disease (9.8% vs 6.8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 63933, 63863, 63822

D-Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

D⁻

Union’s Health Grade: D−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Union is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthD-Physical distressDMental distressD-ObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingD-Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 4%

Less healthyHealthier

Missouri towns we grade (428)Healthier than 10%

Towns with similar incomes, $38K–$64K (5,613)Healthier than 7%

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…

45 of every 100 Union adults have high blood pressure

Missouri: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 40.2–48.7%

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 40.2% Union
MO 28.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38% Union
MO 36.5%

Binge drinkshare of adults 13.8% Union
MO 16.3%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 22.6% Union
MO 16%

0%10%20%30%40%50%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Union 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 9

working-age adults has no health insurance

Union 10.8% · Missouri 1 in 11 (8.7%)

Mind & connection

How Union adults are doing

1 in 3Union adults feel lonely

33.8% · Missouri 31.7% · too close to call

1 in 4Union adults have been diagnosed with depression

27% · Missouri 24.3% · too close to call

1 in 5Union adults lack social or emotional support

21% · Missouri 20.1% · too close to call

1 in 5Union adults are in frequent mental distress

19.5% · 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 6

Union adults worry about having enough food

18% · MO 13.7% · worse

1 in 7

Union adults worry about keeping their housing

13.9% · MO 12.1% · about the same

1 in 10

Union adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

10.4% · MO 9% · about the same

1 in 10

Union adults lack reliable transportation

10.2% · MO 8.4% · worse

15.8% of Union adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.

Disability

Living with a disability

46.1%

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

Walking or climbing stairs23.4%

Thinking or memory21.4%

Hearing11.5%

Errands alone12.6%

Vision7.2%

Dressing or bathing5.9%

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 the nearest hospitals and community health centers.

37.5%49%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#7 of 13towns on this map, healthiest first

Liberty37.8%

St. Francis40%

Union44.5%

Holcomb45.8%

Freeborn46.4%

Cotton Hill47.8%

Care nearby

Piggott Community HospitalPiggott · 11.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Mercy Hospital StoddardDexter · 20.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Poplar Bluff VA Medical CenterPoplar Bluff · 23.5 mi · VA Directions Medicare profile

Poplar Bluff Regional Medical CenterPoplar Bluff · 25.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Bernie Medical and Dental CenterBernie · 11.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Otto Bean Dental ClinicKennett · 20.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careUnion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Dunklin/Pemiscot Counties · need score 21 of 25

! Dental careUnion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Dunklin County · need score 20 of 25

! Mental healthUnion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA 19 · need score 19 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Union. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Union

Measure	Union	Margin	Missouri
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	44.6%	40.2–48.7%	36.5%	worse
High cholesterol	41.6%	37.3–45.8%	37.5%	about the same
Obesity	44.5%	37.3–51.5%	36.6%	worse
Arthritis	36.7%	33.1–40.2%	28.8%	worse
Depression	27%	23.2–30.8%	24.3%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	22.5%	18.9–26.3%	15.8%	worse
Asthma	11.4%	10–12.8%	10.6%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	10%	9–11.1%	8.6%	worse
Diabetes	15.7%	13.6–17.8%	12.1%	worse
COPD	12.7%	11–14.4%	8%	worse
Heart disease	9.8%	8.7–11%	6.8%	worse
Stroke	5.1%	4.5–5.6%	3.6%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	22.6%	19.3–25.9%	16%	worse
Binge drink	13.8%	11.4–16.6%	16.3%	about the same
Get no exercise	40.2%	34.7–45.5%	28.8%	worse
Sleep under 7 hours	38%	32.2–44.2%	36.5%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	78.7%	75.2–81.9%	78.4%	about the same
Dentist visit	52.2%	48.5–56%	60.4%	worse
Cholesterol check	83.5%	81.3–85.7%	84.5%	about the same
Colon screening	60.7%	55.6–65.8%	64%	about the same
Mammogram	72.6%	64.5–79.6%	74.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	79.8%	77–82.3%	77.2%	about the same
No health insurance	10.8%	8.8–13.1%	8.7%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	33.8%	29.5–38.6%	31.7%	about the same
Lack emotional support	21%	18–24.2%	20.1%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	19.5%	17.2–21.7%	17.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	28.3%	24.6–32.1%	20.5%	worse
Frequent physical distress	19.4%	17–21.8%	14.2%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	18%	15–21%	13.7%	worse
Housing insecurity	13.9%	11.9–16%	12.1%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	10.4%	9–11.8%	9%	about the same
No reliable transportation	10.2%	8.9–11.6%	8.4%	worse
Receive SNAP	15.8%	13.1–18.4%	10.8%
Disability
Any disability	46.1%	40.9–50.8%	36.2%
Walking or climbing stairs	23.4%	20.3–26.4%	15.8%
Thinking or memory	21.4%	18.8–24%	17.2%
Hearing	11.5%	10.1–12.8%	8.3%
Vision	7.2%	6.3–8.1%	5.1%
Dressing or bathing	5.9%	5.1–6.7%	3.9%
Errands alone	12.6%	11.1–14.2%	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.