Health · Alto

Alto, TX health

Alto differs from Texas on 12 of 33 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (77.4% vs 74.1%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (7.8% vs 5.7%).

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

Alto’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Alto is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthCPhysical distressCMental distressB-ObesityC-DiabetesC+SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 23%
Less healthyHealthier
Texas towns we grade (1,011)Healthier than 36%
Towns with similar incomes, $46K–$77K (8,477)Healthier than 34%

About what its income would suggest. Alto does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Alto 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 Texas 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 Alto 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. Alto 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 Alto compares with Texas

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 Alto adults…

39 of every 100 Alto adults have high blood pressure
Texas: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 34.6–43.4%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Alto, betterAlto, worseToo close to callTexas
Get no exerciseshare of adults 31.5% Alto
TX 27.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 41.8% Alto
TX 38.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.3% Alto
TX 17%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.6% Alto
TX 12.5%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76%
Yearly checkup
TX 74%
48%
Dentist visit
TX 55%
85%
Cholesterol check
TX 85%
57%
Colon screening
TX 58%
71%
Mammogram
TX 74%
77%
Taking BP meds
TX 74%
1 in 5
working-age adults has no health insurance
Alto 18.3% · Texas 1 in 5 (19.1%)
Mind & connection

How Alto adults are doing

1 in 4Alto adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.4% · Texas 21.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Alto adults are in frequent mental distress
18.3% · Texas 16.9% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

36.1%

of Alto adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18%
Thinking or memory16.9%
Hearing6.8%
Errands alone10.2%
Vision7.1%
Dressing or bathing5.3%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Alto

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

HNearest ERChristus Mother Frances Hospital- JacksonvilleJacksonville · 22.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNacogdoches Medical Center★★★★★ · 24.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHealth Opportunities for the People of East TexasRusk · 12.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.6 mi
Health Opportunities for the People of East Texas
2 sites · nearest in Rusk
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.4 mi
Christus Mother Frances Hospital- Jacksonville
Jacksonville · not rated
ERRural critical access
23.9 mi
East Texas Community Health Services
5 sites · nearest in Nacogdoches
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24.4 mi
Ut Health East Texas Jacksonville Hospital
Jacksonville · not rated
ER
24.5 mi
Nacogdoches Medical Center
Nacogdoches · ★★★★★
ER
24.9 mi
Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital
Nacogdoches · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careAlto's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cherokee County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careAlto's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cherokee County · need score 18 of 25
! Mental healthAlto's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 1 - ACCESS · 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 Alto. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 33 measures for Alto
MeasureAltoMarginTexas
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure39%34.6–43.4%33.1%worse
High cholesterol36.5%32.1–41%35.1%about the same
Obesity37%28.9–45.6%35.6%about the same
Arthritis26.6%23.3–30%21.6%worse
Depression22.4%18.9–26.2%21.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)11.9%9.6–14.3%12.5%about the same
Asthma11%9.7–12.4%9.5%worse
Cancer (not skin)6.8%6.1–7.6%6.1%about the same
Diabetes15.1%13.1–17.3%12.7%worse
COPD7.8%6.6–9.1%5.7%worse
Heart disease6.7%5.9–7.6%5.6%worse
Stroke4.2%3.7–4.7%3.2%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.6%13–18.5%12.5%worse
Binge drink15.3%12.5–18.5%17%about the same
Get no exercise31.5%26.5–37%27.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours41.8%34.7–49.2%38.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.3%72.3–79.9%73.8%about the same
Dentist visit47.8%43.9–51.4%54.6%worse
Cholesterol check85.4%83.2–87.3%84.6%about the same
Colon screening57.4%52–62.6%57.9%about the same
Mammogram71.1%62.4–78.8%74.1%about the same
Taking BP meds77.4%74.4–80.1%74.1%better
No health insurance18.3%14.9–21.9%19.1%about the same
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress18.3%16.1–20.7%16.9%about the same
Fair or poor health25.8%22.3–29.8%21.8%worse
Frequent physical distress15.3%13.4–17.5%13.2%worse
Disability
Any disability36.1%31.4–41%30.9%
Walking or climbing stairs18%15.4–20.7%14%
Thinking or memory16.9%14.9–19.4%15.1%
Hearing6.8%6–7.7%6.3%
Vision7.1%6.2–8%6.1%
Dressing or bathing5.3%4.6–6.1%4%
Errands alone10.2%8.9–11.7%8.2%
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 Alto door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Texas figure falls inside it, we don't call Alto better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Alto directly, so these are its own figures.

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