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Health in Carter · CDC PLACES 2025

How healthy is Carter?

Carter differs from Oklahoma on 14 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (28.1% vs 16.4%) and more adults with COPD (12% vs 8%).

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Carter. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out about health in Carter

Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Getting care

Care in and near Carter

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

HNearest ERGreat Plains Regional Medical CenterElk City · 14.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careComanche County Hospital Authority (TrusBurns Flat · 21 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
14.2 mi
Great Plains Regional Medical Center
Elk City · ★★★★★
ER
21 mi
Comanche County Hospital Authority (Trus
3 sites · nearest in Burns Flat
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.5 mi
Mangum Regional Medical Center
Mangum · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.1 mi
Elkview General Hospital
Hobart · not rated
ER
26.9 mi
Variety Care
3 sites · nearest in Hobart
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
29.7 mi
Cordell Memorial Hospital
Cordell · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careCarter’s county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Beckham County · need score 19 of 25
! Dental careCarter’s county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Beckham County · need score 20 of 25
! Mental healthCarter’s county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 9 Red Rock West · need score 17 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 Carter; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Oklahoma

Share of adults, with the Oklahoma figure marked.

Get no exercise 38.7%OK 31.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 38.8%OK 36.8%
Binge drink 13.5%OK 14%
Smoke cigarettes 22.5%OK 16.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Carter, betterCarter, worseAbout the sameOklahoma
Where Carter gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

77% Yearly checkupOK 78%
46% Dentist visitOK 57%
82% Cholesterol checkOK 84%
55% Colon screeningOK 60%
67% MammogramOK 70%
78% Taking BP medsOK 76%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
Carter 14.7% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Carter adults…

Carter runs above OK on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

12 of every 100 Carter adults have COPD
Oklahoma: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9.9–14.4%
Better than OKWorseAbout the sameOklahoma
Mind & connection

How Carter adults are doing

About the same as Oklahoma on each measure.

1 in 3Carter adults feel lonely
34.2% · OK 33.1% · About the same as OK
1 in 4Carter adults lack social or emotional support
27.1% · OK 25.2% · About the same as OK
1 in 4Carter adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.3% · OK 25.5% · About the same as OK
1 in 5Carter adults are in frequent mental distress
19.1% · OK 18% · About the same as OK
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Carter adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

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 4
Carter adults worry about having enough food
23.3% · OK 18.5%
Worse than OK
1 in 6
Carter adults worry about keeping their housing
15.7% · OK 14.1%
About the same as OK
1 in 9
Carter adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
11.4% · OK 10.3%
About the same as OK
1 in 9
Carter adults lack reliable transportation
10.9% · OK 9.6%
About the same as OK

21% of Carter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

45.7%

of Carter adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs23.1%
Thinking or memory20.8%
Hearing11.7%
Errands alone12.5%
Vision8.1%
Dressing or bathing6.3%
Oklahoma
Health Grade

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 210 people are less certain, so we show Carter's figures without a grade.

All 40 CDC measures for Carter
MeasureCarterLikely rangeOklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure44.5%39.9–49.1%38.5%worse
High cholesterol41.8%37.1–46.5%37.7%about the same
Obesity40.5%32.5–48.4%38.9%about the same
Arthritis32.5%28.8–36.2%27.8%worse
Depression25.3%21.4–29.3%25.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)28.1%23.5–33.1%16.4%worse
Asthma11.5%10.1–13.1%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.6%7.6–9.6%7.8%about the same
Diabetes15.5%13.3–18%12.8%worse
COPD12%9.9–14.4%8%worse
Heart disease9.7%8.5–11.2%7.3%worse
Stroke4.9%4.2–5.6%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22.5%18.7–26.8%16.3%worse
Binge drink13.5%11–16.4%14%about the same
Get no exercise38.7%32.7–44.9%31.1%worse
Sleep under 7 hours38.8%32–45.8%36.8%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.8%72.9–80.2%77.9%about the same
Dentist visit45.9%41.8–49.9%57.1%worse
Cholesterol check82.1%79.2–84.6%84.3%about the same
Colon screening55.1%49.1–60.8%59.7%about the same
Mammogram66.7%57.2–75.4%70.4%about the same
Taking BP meds78.3%75.4–81%76.3%about the same
No health insurance14.7%11.5–18.4%11.3%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.2%28.1–40.6%33.1%about the same
Lack emotional support27.1%22.4–32.2%25.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress19.1%16.7–21.7%18%about the same
Fair or poor health28%23.5–32.9%21.2%worse
Frequent physical distress18.2%15.7–21%14.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity23.3%18.7–28.6%18.5%worse
Housing insecurity15.7%12.9–18.9%14.1%about the same
Utility shut-off threat11.4%9.5–13.6%10.3%about the same
No reliable transportation10.9%9.1–13%9.6%about the same
Receive SNAP21%16.6–26%15.1%
Disability
Any disability45.7%40.1–51.6%38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs23.1%19.6–27%17.1%
Thinking or memory20.8%17.7–24.1%17.3%
Hearing11.7%10.3–13.3%9.1%
Vision8.1%6.9–9.6%6%
Dressing or bathing6.3%5.2–7.5%4.3%
Errands alone12.5%10.5–14.6%9.6%

How CDC estimates town health

Modeled estimates

CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Carter door to door.

Close calls stay gray

Every figure has a likely range. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don’t call Carter better or worse.

CDC’s own town estimate

CDC publishes Carter directly, so these are its own figures.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Carter.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Is Carter a healthy place to live?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oklahoma figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

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