Health · Velma

Velma, OK health

Velma differs from Oklahoma on 5 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (9.9% vs 8%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (20.1% vs 16.4%).

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

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 590 people are less certain, so we show Velma's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Velma 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 Velma adults…

43 of every 100 Velma adults have high blood pressure
Oklahoma: 39 in 100 · worse · margin 38.7–47.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Velma, betterVelma, worseToo close to callOklahoma
Get no exerciseshare of adults 33.8% Velma
OK 31.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.9% Velma
OK 36.8%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.6% Velma
OK 14%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 19.6% Velma
OK 16.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
OK 78%
55%
Dentist visit
OK 57%
85%
Cholesterol check
OK 84%
60%
Colon screening
OK 60%
68%
Mammogram
OK 70%
78%
Taking BP meds
OK 76%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Velma 10.4% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection

How Velma adults are doing

1 in 3Velma adults feel lonely
31.8% · Oklahoma 33.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Velma adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.5% · Oklahoma 25.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Velma adults lack social or emotional support
23.9% · Oklahoma 25.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Velma adults are in frequent mental distress
18.4% · 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
Velma adults worry about having enough food
18.1% · OK 18.5% · about the same
1 in 8
Velma adults worry about keeping their housing
12.9% · OK 14.1% · about the same
1 in 10
Velma adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.8% · OK 10.3% · about the same
1 in 11
Velma adults lack reliable transportation
9% · OK 9.6% · about the same

15.9% of Velma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

41%

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

Walking or climbing stairs19.8%
Thinking or memory17.9%
Hearing10%
Errands alone10.4%
Vision6.3%
Dressing or bathing4.8%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Velma

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

HNearest ERDuncan Regional HospitalDuncan · 12 miDirections →
+Low-cost careComanche County Hospital Authority (TrusComanche · 18.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12 mi
Duncan Regional Hospital
Duncan · ★★★★★
ER
18.1 mi
Comanche County Hospital Authority (Trus
2 sites · nearest in Comanche
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.9 mi
Mercy Hospital Healdton
Healdton · not rated
ERRural critical access
25.5 mi
Jefferson County Hospital
Waurika · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.4 mi
South Central Medical and Resource Center
4 sites · nearest in Lindsay
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
31.4 mi
Valley Community Hospital
Pauls Valley · not rated
ER
! Primary careVelma's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Stephens County · need score 18 of 25
! Dental careVelma's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Stephens County · need score 14 of 25
! Mental healthVelma's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.MHCA 8 SW Oklahoma Jim Taliaferro · need score 20 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 Velma. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Velma
MeasureVelmaMarginOklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure42.9%38.7–47.2%38.5%worse
High cholesterol40.1%36–44.5%37.7%about the same
Obesity39.6%32.8–46.8%38.9%about the same
Arthritis32.6%29.1–36.1%27.8%worse
Depression26.5%22.8–30.3%25.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)20.1%16.6–24.2%16.4%worse
Asthma12.1%10.7–13.6%11.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9%8.1–10%7.8%worse
Diabetes13.5%11.7–15.6%12.8%about the same
COPD9.9%8.3–11.7%8%worse
Heart disease8%7–9.1%7.3%about the same
Stroke4.2%3.7–4.8%3.7%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.6%16.2–23.2%16.3%about the same
Binge drink13.6%11.1–16.5%14%about the same
Get no exercise33.8%28.8–39.2%31.1%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours34.9%29–41.3%36.8%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.3%75.7–82.7%77.9%about the same
Dentist visit54.8%51–58.6%57.1%about the same
Cholesterol check85.3%82.9–87.5%84.3%about the same
Colon screening59.8%54.4–65.1%59.7%about the same
Mammogram68.4%60.2–76%70.4%about the same
Taking BP meds77.5%74.3–80.4%76.3%about the same
No health insurance10.4%8.2–12.8%11.3%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.8%26.9–37.1%33.1%about the same
Lack emotional support23.9%20.2–28%25.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.4%16.2–20.7%18%about the same
Fair or poor health23.4%20–27.1%21.2%about the same
Frequent physical distress16.2%14.1–18.5%14.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity18.1%14.6–22.2%18.5%about the same
Housing insecurity12.9%10.6–15.5%14.1%about the same
Utility shut-off threat9.8%8.2–11.5%10.3%about the same
No reliable transportation9%7.6–10.7%9.6%about the same
Receive SNAP15.9%12.5–19.7%15.1%
Disability
Any disability41%36.1–46%38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs19.8%17–22.9%17.1%
Thinking or memory17.9%15.4–20.5%17.3%
Hearing10%8.8–11.3%9.1%
Vision6.3%5.5–7.3%6%
Dressing or bathing4.8%4.1–5.6%4.3%
Errands alone10.4%8.9–12%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 Velma door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don't call Velma better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Velma 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01