Health · Wister

Wister, OK health

Wister differs from Oklahoma on 9 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (79.1% vs 76.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (10.1% vs 8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Wister

DHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Wister’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Wister is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns, and than 67% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthC-Physical distressC-Mental distressCObesityC-DiabetesDSmokingDExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 14%

Less healthyHealthier

Oklahoma towns we grade (237)Healthier than 43%

Towns with similar incomes, $27K–$46K (1,451)Healthier than 67%

Better than its income would suggest. Wister 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, Wister could be anywhere from D− to B−.

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 Wister 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. Wister 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 Wister 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 Wister adults…

42 of every 100 Wister adults have high blood pressure

Oklahoma: 39 in 100 · too close to call · margin 38–46.6%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Wister, betterWister, worseToo close to callOklahoma

Get no exerciseshare of adults 35.2% Wister
OK 31.1%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.6% Wister
OK 36.8%

Binge drinkshare of adults 13.2% Wister
OK 14%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 19.5% Wister
OK 16.3%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

Yearly checkup

OK 78%

Dentist visit

OK 57%

Cholesterol check

OK 84%

Colon screening

OK 60%

Mammogram

OK 70%

Taking BP meds

OK 76%

1 in 10

working-age adults has no health insurance

Wister 10.4% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)

Mind & connection

How Wister adults are doing

1 in 3Wister adults feel lonely

33.1% · Oklahoma 33.1% · too close to call

1 in 4Wister adults have been diagnosed with depression

25.8% · Oklahoma 25.5% · too close to call

1 in 4Wister adults lack social or emotional support

25.3% · Oklahoma 25.2% · too close to call

1 in 5Wister adults are in frequent mental distress

18.9% · 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 5

Wister adults worry about having enough food

19.1% · OK 18.5% · about the same

1 in 7

Wister adults worry about keeping their housing

13.8% · OK 14.1% · about the same

1 in 9

Wister adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

10.6% · OK 10.3% · about the same

1 in 10

Wister adults lack reliable transportation

10.1% · OK 9.6% · about the same

16.7% of Wister adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

42.1%

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

Walking or climbing stairs20.5%

Thinking or memory18.3%

Hearing11%

Errands alone10.8%

Vision6.8%

Dressing or bathing5%

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

Around Wister

Wister and the towns around it

Care nearby

Eastern Oklahoma Medical CenterPoteau · 8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Choctaw Nation Health Services AuthorityTalihina · 22.8 mi · ER Directions Medicare profile

Haskell Regional HospitalStigler · 30.6 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Baptist Health - Fort SmithFort Smith · 32.7 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Hwc - PoteauPoteau · 9.9 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Bonanza Wellness CenterBonanza · 24.8 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careWister's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Le Flore County · need score 18 of 25

! Dental careWister's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Le Flore County · need score 17 of 25

! Mental healthWister's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 21 · need score 19 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Wister. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Wister

Measure	Wister	Margin	Oklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	42.2%	38–46.6%	38.5%	about the same
High cholesterol	41.3%	36.9–45.9%	37.7%	about the same
Obesity	38.8%	31.7–46.5%	38.9%	about the same
Arthritis	32.4%	29–36.1%	27.8%	worse
Depression	25.8%	22.1–29.9%	25.5%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	19.2%	15.9–22.7%	16.4%	about the same
Asthma	12.3%	10.9–14%	11.5%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	9.4%	8.4–10.4%	7.8%	worse
Diabetes	14.6%	12.7–16.8%	12.8%	about the same
COPD	10.1%	8.5–11.8%	8%	worse
Heart disease	9%	7.9–10.2%	7.3%	worse
Stroke	4.6%	4–5.2%	3.7%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	19.5%	16.4–22.8%	16.3%	worse
Binge drink	13.2%	10.6–16%	14%	about the same
Get no exercise	35.2%	29.7–40.8%	31.1%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	37.6%	31.6–43.6%	36.8%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	79.7%	76.1–83%	77.9%	about the same
Dentist visit	52.1%	48.5–55.8%	57.1%	worse
Cholesterol check	85%	82.7–87.1%	84.3%	about the same
Colon screening	61.2%	56–66.3%	59.7%	about the same
Mammogram	65.7%	57.2–73.7%	70.4%	about the same
Taking BP meds	79.1%	76.4–81.6%	76.3%	better
No health insurance	10.4%	8.5–12.7%	11.3%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	33.1%	27.5–38.8%	33.1%	about the same
Lack emotional support	25.3%	21.1–29.5%	25.2%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	18.9%	16.7–21.3%	18%	about the same
Fair or poor health	23.7%	20.2–27.3%	21.2%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	16.5%	14.4–18.9%	14.3%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	19.1%	15.3–22.5%	18.5%	about the same
Housing insecurity	13.8%	11.4–16%	14.1%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	10.6%	8.9–12.3%	10.3%	about the same
No reliable transportation	10.1%	8.5–11.5%	9.6%	about the same
Receive SNAP	16.7%	13.3–19.8%	15.1%
Disability
Any disability	42.1%	37.1–47.4%	38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs	20.5%	17.7–23.5%	17.1%
Thinking or memory	18.3%	16–20.8%	17.3%
Hearing	11%	9.7–12.4%	9.1%
Vision	6.8%	6–7.8%	6%
Dressing or bathing	5%	4.3–5.7%	4.3%
Errands alone	10.8%	9.3–12.4%	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 Wister door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don't call Wister better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Wister 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.