Health · Bruce

Bruce, MS health

Bruce differs from Mississippi on 18 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (10.9% vs 13.6%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (82.5% vs 79.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (12.4% vs 8.6%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Bruce
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Bruce’s Health Grade: D−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Bruce is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns, and than 53% of towns with similar incomes.

D-Self-rated healthDPhysical distressCMental distressD-ObesityD-DiabetesDSmokingD-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 4%
Less healthyHealthier
Mississippi towns we grade (194)Healthier than 23%
Towns with similar incomes, $20K–$34K (319)Healthier than 53%

Better than its income would suggest. Bruce 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, Bruce 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 Mississippi 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 Bruce 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. Bruce 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 Bruce compares with Mississippi

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 Bruce adults…

53 of every 100 Bruce adults have high blood pressure
Mississippi: 45 in 100 · worse · margin 48.5–57.7%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Bruce, betterBruce, worseToo close to callMississippi
Get no exerciseshare of adults 40% Bruce
MS 34%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 40.5% Bruce
MS 38.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 10.9% Bruce
MS 13.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 21.5% Bruce
MS 16.9%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

83%
Yearly checkup
MS 82%
8%
Dentist visit
MS 9%
87%
Cholesterol check
MS 86%
59%
Colon screening
MS 62%
72%
Mammogram
MS 74%
83%
Taking BP meds
MS 80%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Bruce 13.2% · Mississippi 1 in 9 (11.5%)
Mind & connection

How Bruce adults are doing

1 in 3Bruce adults feel lonely
35.9% · Mississippi 36.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Bruce adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.6% · Mississippi 19.5% · too close to call
1 in 3Bruce adults lack social or emotional support
28.9% · Mississippi 28.9% · too close to call
1 in 5Bruce adults are in frequent mental distress
18.5% · Mississippi 17.3% · 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 3
Bruce adults worry about having enough food
29.6% · MS 22.4% · worse
1 in 5
Bruce adults worry about keeping their housing
21.2% · MS 16.8% · worse
1 in 6
Bruce adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
15.7% · MS 11.2% · worse
1 in 6
Bruce adults lack reliable transportation
15.5% · MS 11.9% · worse

21.5% of Bruce adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.

Disability

Living with a disability

45.1%

of Bruce adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs25.9%
Thinking or memory20.2%
Hearing10.3%
Errands alone13.8%
Vision10.1%
Dressing or bathing8.1%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Bruce

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

HNearest ERBmh-CalhounCalhoun City · 8.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careFamily Health Care ClinicCalhoun City · 8.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.5 mi
Family Health Care Clinic
5 sites · nearest in Calhoun City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.6 mi
Bmh-Calhoun
Calhoun City · not rated
ERRural critical access
18.8 mi
Access Family Health Services - Houlka
Houlka · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
19.5 mi
Yalobusha General Hospital
Water Valley · not rated
21.7 mi
Progressive Health Group of Houston
Houston · not rated
21.7 mi
Progressive Health Group of Houston
Houston · not rated
ER
! Primary careBruce's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Calhoun County · need score 20 of 25
! Dental careBruce's county is a federal shortage area.Calhoun County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthBruce's county is a federal shortage area.Mental Health Catchment Area #2 · need score 14 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 Bruce. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Bruce
MeasureBruceMarginMississippi
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure53.1%48.5–57.7%44.9%worse
High cholesterol41.4%36.9–46.2%38.8%about the same
Obesity44.7%36.2–53.4%40.4%about the same
Arthritis36.5%32.7–40.4%29.9%worse
Depression19.6%16.4–23.1%19.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)21.8%18.3–25.6%18.5%about the same
Asthma10.8%9.4–12.2%10%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.5%7.7–9.4%7.6%worse
Diabetes20.9%18.2–23.7%15.5%worse
COPD12.4%10.8–14.3%8.6%worse
Heart disease10.2%9.1–11.5%7.5%worse
Stroke6.4%5.7–7.1%4.5%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes21.5%18.4–25.2%16.9%worse
Binge drink10.9%8.8–13.4%13.6%better
Get no exercise40%34.3–46.3%34%worse
Sleep under 7 hours40.5%33.9–47.8%38.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup83%79.7–85.9%81.5%about the same
Dentist visit7.8%6.6–9.1%9.3%worse
Cholesterol check86.5%84.4–88.3%86.2%about the same
Colon screening58.6%53.2–64.1%61.8%about the same
Mammogram71.8%63.6–79.4%74%about the same
Taking BP meds82.5%79.9–84.8%79.7%better
No health insurance13.2%10.8–16%11.5%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely35.9%30.4–41.4%36.4%about the same
Lack emotional support28.9%24.8–33.2%28.9%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.5%16.3–20.9%17.3%about the same
Fair or poor health32%28–36.3%24.4%worse
Frequent physical distress18.5%16.3–21.1%14.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity29.6%25.5–33.9%22.4%worse
Housing insecurity21.2%18.2–24.2%16.8%worse
Utility shut-off threat15.7%13.5–17.8%11.2%worse
No reliable transportation15.5%13.5–17.5%11.9%worse
Receive SNAP21.5%18.1–24.9%13.6%
Disability
Any disability45.1%40–50.4%38.1%
Walking or climbing stairs25.9%22.7–29.5%18.8%
Thinking or memory20.2%17.8–23.1%17.5%
Hearing10.3%9.1–11.7%8.1%
Vision10.1%9–11.4%7%
Dressing or bathing8.1%7.1–9.1%5.3%
Errands alone13.8%12.1–15.8%10.4%
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 Bruce door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Mississippi figure falls inside it, we don't call Bruce better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Bruce directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Mississippi 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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