Health · Merigold

Merigold, MS health

Merigold differs from Mississippi on 18 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (11% vs 13.6%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (82.9% vs 79.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing a utility shut-off (16.5% vs 11.2%).

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

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 484 people are less certain, so we show Merigold's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Merigold 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 Merigold adults…

53 of every 100 Merigold adults have high blood pressure
Mississippi: 45 in 100 · worse · margin 48.8–57.7%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Merigold, betterMerigold, worseToo close to callMississippi
Get no exerciseshare of adults 41.6% Merigold
MS 34%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 38.3% Merigold
MS 38.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 11% Merigold
MS 13.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 20.3% Merigold
MS 16.9%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

85%
Yearly checkup
MS 82%
7%
Dentist visit
MS 9%
87%
Cholesterol check
MS 86%
63%
Colon screening
MS 62%
75%
Mammogram
MS 74%
83%
Taking BP meds
MS 80%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Merigold 12.1% · Mississippi 1 in 9 (11.5%)
Mind & connection

How Merigold adults are doing

1 in 3Merigold adults feel lonely
36.4% · Mississippi 36.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Merigold adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.5% · Mississippi 19.5% · too close to call
1 in 3Merigold adults lack social or emotional support
29.8% · Mississippi 28.9% · too close to call
1 in 6Merigold adults are in frequent mental distress
18.1% · 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
Merigold adults worry about having enough food
30.8% · MS 22.4% · worse
1 in 5
Merigold adults worry about keeping their housing
22.2% · MS 16.8% · worse
1 in 6
Merigold adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
16.5% · MS 11.2% · worse
1 in 6
Merigold adults lack reliable transportation
15.6% · MS 11.9% · worse

22.5% of Merigold adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.

Disability

Living with a disability

42%

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

Walking or climbing stairs24.6%
Thinking or memory19%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone12.9%
Vision9.8%
Dressing or bathing7.9%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Merigold

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

HNearest ERBolivar Medical CenterCleveland · 6.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNorthwest Missississippi Regional Medical Center★★★★★ · 26.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careDelta Health CenterMound Bayou · 2.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.8 mi
Delta Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Mound Bayou
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
6.4 mi
Bolivar Medical Center
Cleveland · ★★★★★
ER
12.6 mi
North Sunflower Medical Center Cah
Ruleville · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
25.4 mi
Aaron E. Henry Community Health Services Center
3 sites · nearest in Clarksdale
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
26.7 mi
South Sunflower County Hospital
Indianola · ★★★★★
ER
26.7 mi
Northwest Missississippi Regional Medical Center
Clarksdale · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careMerigold's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Bolivar County · need score 23 of 25
! Dental careMerigold's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Bolivar County · need score 21 of 25
! Mental healthMerigold's county is a federal shortage area.Mental Health Catchment Area 6 · 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 Merigold. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Merigold
MeasureMerigoldMarginMississippi
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure53.3%48.8–57.7%44.9%worse
High cholesterol42.5%38.1–46.8%38.8%about the same
Obesity46.9%39.5–54.2%40.4%about the same
Arthritis35.7%31.9–39.5%29.9%worse
Depression19.5%16.5–22.9%19.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)25.2%21–30%18.5%worse
Asthma11%9.6–12.6%10%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.4%6.6–8.2%7.6%about the same
Diabetes21.2%18.4–24%15.5%worse
COPD11.2%9.4–13.3%8.6%worse
Heart disease8.9%7.7–10.1%7.5%worse
Stroke6%5.2–6.8%4.5%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes20.3%16.5–24.3%16.9%about the same
Binge drink11%8.9–13.3%13.6%better
Get no exercise41.6%35.4–47.7%34%worse
Sleep under 7 hours38.3%32–45.1%38.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup84.5%81.6–87.1%81.5%better
Dentist visit7.1%5.9–8.4%9.3%worse
Cholesterol check87%84.9–88.9%86.2%about the same
Colon screening63.1%57.1–68.9%61.8%about the same
Mammogram74.5%66.8–81.5%74%about the same
Taking BP meds82.9%80.5–85%79.7%better
No health insurance12.1%9.4–15.3%11.5%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely36.4%31.5–41.9%36.4%about the same
Lack emotional support29.8%25.6–34.5%28.9%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.1%15.7–20.7%17.3%about the same
Fair or poor health31.3%26.7–35.9%24.4%worse
Frequent physical distress17.4%14.9–20.1%14.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity30.8%25.6–35.9%22.4%worse
Housing insecurity22.2%18.6–26.1%16.8%worse
Utility shut-off threat16.5%13.9–19.2%11.2%worse
No reliable transportation15.6%13.3–18.1%11.9%worse
Receive SNAP22.5%18.2–27.1%13.6%
Disability
Any disability42%36.4–47.5%38.1%
Walking or climbing stairs24.6%21.1–28.4%18.8%
Thinking or memory19%16.2–21.9%17.5%
Hearing8.3%7.2–9.5%8.1%
Vision9.8%8.4–11.3%7%
Dressing or bathing7.9%6.7–9.3%5.3%
Errands alone12.9%11–15%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 Merigold door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Mississippi figure falls inside it, we don't call Merigold better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Merigold 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01