Health · Alva

Alva, OK health

Alva differs from Oklahoma on 5 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (11.7% vs 14.1%) and fewer adults with diabetes (10.7% vs 12.8%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults getting cholesterol checked (80.9% vs 84.3%).

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

Alva’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Alva is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns, and than 94% of towns with similar incomes.

B-Self-rated healthBPhysical distressC-Mental distressB-ObesityB+DiabetesB-SmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 47%
Less healthyHealthier
Oklahoma towns we grade (237)Healthier than 88%
Towns with similar incomes, $31K–$51K (2,454)Healthier than 94%

Better than its income would suggest. Alva is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Alva could be anywhere from C− to A−.
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 Oklahoma 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 Alva 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. Alva 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 Alva compares with Oklahoma

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 Alva adults…

34 of every 100 Alva adults have high blood pressure
Oklahoma: 39 in 100 · better · margin 30.7–38.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Alva, betterAlva, worseToo close to callOklahoma
Get no exerciseshare of adults 29.5% Alva
OK 31.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 36% Alva
OK 36.8%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15% Alva
OK 14%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.4% Alva
OK 16.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

77%
Yearly checkup
OK 78%
59%
Dentist visit
OK 57%
81%
Cholesterol check
OK 84%
62%
Colon screening
OK 60%
69%
Mammogram
OK 70%
75%
Taking BP meds
OK 76%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Alva 10.1% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection

How Alva adults are doing

1 in 3Alva adults feel lonely
34.8% · Oklahoma 33.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Alva adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.4% · Oklahoma 25.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Alva adults lack social or emotional support
23.5% · Oklahoma 25.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Alva adults are in frequent mental distress
19% · Oklahoma 18% · 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
Alva adults worry about having enough food
16.5% · OK 18.5% · about the same
1 in 9
Alva adults worry about keeping their housing
11.7% · OK 14.1% · better
1 in 11
Alva adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.7% · OK 10.3% · better
1 in 11
Alva adults lack reliable transportation
9.3% · OK 9.6% · about the same

13.8% of Alva adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

38.9%

of Alva adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.3%
Thinking or memory18.3%
Hearing9.1%
Errands alone9.9%
Vision5.7%
Dressing or bathing3.8%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Alva

1 hospital in Alva, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERShare Medical CenterAlva · 0.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGreat Salt Plains Health CenterCherokee · 17.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.4 mi
Share Medical Center
Alva · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Alva
17.1 mi
Great Salt Plains Health Center
7 sites · nearest in Cherokee
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
21.4 mi
Kiowa District Hospital
Kiowa · not rated
ERRural critical access
34.9 mi
Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital
Medicine Lodge · not rated
ERRural critical access
37.1 mi
Fairview Regional Medical Center Authority
Fairview · not rated
ERRural critical access
80.7 mi
Gracemed Clearwater Family Clinic
Clearwater · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
! Primary careAlva's county is a federal shortage area.Woods County · need score 11 of 25
! Dental careAlva's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Woods County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthAlva's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 10/Northwest Center for Behavioral Health · 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 Alva. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Alva
MeasureAlvaMarginOklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure34.4%30.7–38.2%38.5%better
High cholesterol36.2%32.1–40.3%37.7%about the same
Obesity35.8%28–43.8%38.9%about the same
Arthritis26.2%23.4–29.1%27.8%about the same
Depression27.4%23.4–31.5%25.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17.5%14.4–20.9%16.4%about the same
Asthma11.5%10.1–12.9%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.9%7.1–8.7%7.8%about the same
Diabetes10.7%9.2–12.2%12.8%better
COPD7.7%6.7–8.8%8%about the same
Heart disease7%6.2–7.7%7.3%about the same
Stroke3.4%3.1–3.8%3.7%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.4%12.3–16.8%16.3%about the same
Binge drink15%12.1–18.1%14%about the same
Get no exercise29.5%24.9–34.4%31.1%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours36%29.1–42.9%36.8%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.9%72.9–80.5%77.9%about the same
Dentist visit58.7%54.7–62.5%57.1%about the same
Cholesterol check80.9%78.3–83.3%84.3%worse
Colon screening62.1%56.6–67.2%59.7%about the same
Mammogram68.5%59.3–76.5%70.4%about the same
Taking BP meds74.7%72.4–76.9%76.3%about the same
No health insurance10.1%8.3–12.3%11.3%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.8%29.4–40.5%33.1%about the same
Lack emotional support23.5%19.7–27.6%25.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress19%16.7–21.4%18%about the same
Fair or poor health19.6%17–22.4%21.2%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.5%11.9–15.3%14.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity16.5%13.5–20%18.5%about the same
Housing insecurity11.7%9.8–14%14.1%better
Utility shut-off threat8.7%7.4–10.2%10.3%better
No reliable transportation9.3%7.9–10.9%9.6%about the same
Receive SNAP13.8%11.3–16.8%15.1%
Disability
Any disability38.9%34.2–43.8%38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs15.3%13.4–17.4%17.1%
Thinking or memory18.3%16–20.8%17.3%
Hearing9.1%8.1–10.2%9.1%
Vision5.7%5–6.4%6%
Dressing or bathing3.8%3.4–4.3%4.3%
Errands alone9.9%8.7–11.3%9.6%
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 Alva door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don't call Alva better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Alva directly, so these are its own figures.

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