Alton, TX health
Alton differs from Texas on 16 of 33 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (3.5% vs 6.1%) and fewer adults with arthritis (18.6% vs 21.6%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (41.5% vs 19.1%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for AltonAlton’s Health Grade: D
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Alton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns.
About what its income would suggest. Alton does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
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 Alton 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. Alton 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.
How Alton 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
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Disability
Out of every 100 Alton adults…
Bars show Alton; the black tick is Texas. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
TX 27.8%
TX 38.2%
TX 17%
TX 12.5%
Keeping up with care
Share of Alton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Alton adults are doing
Living with a disability
of Alton adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Texas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Alton and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Alton.
Obesity
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Care in and near Alton
1 community health center in Alton, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Alton. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 33 measures for Alton
| Measure | Alton | Margin | Texas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 31.8% | 29–34.5% | 33.1% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 33.9% | 31.1–36.8% | 35.1% | about the same |
| Obesity | 45.8% | 41.2–50.4% | 35.6% | worse |
| Arthritis | 18.6% | 16.7–20.6% | 21.6% | better |
| Depression | 21.2% | 18.7–23.9% | 21.2% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 19.5% | 16.4–22.8% | 12.5% | worse |
| Asthma | 9% | 8–10.1% | 9.5% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 3.5% | 3.2–3.8% | 6.1% | better |
| Diabetes | 17.1% | 15.4–19% | 12.7% | worse |
| COPD | 5.7% | 5–6.5% | 5.7% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 6% | 5.4–6.6% | 5.6% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.4% | 3.1–3.8% | 3.2% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5% | 12.5–16.8% | 12.5% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 17% | 14.6–19.5% | 17% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 39.9% | 35.7–44.2% | 27.8% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.5% | 37.2–45.9% | 38.2% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 69.8% | 66.6–73% | 73.8% | worse |
| Dentist visit | 37.3% | 34.4–40.4% | 54.6% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 77.6% | 75.1–80.2% | 84.6% | worse |
| Colon screening | 49.5% | 45.2–53.7% | 57.9% | worse |
| Mammogram | 66.8% | 59.4–73.4% | 74.1% | worse |
| Taking BP meds | 71% | 68.4–73.6% | 74.1% | worse |
| No health insurance | 41.5% | 36.9–46.2% | 19.1% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Frequent mental distress | 19.7% | 17.6–21.8% | 16.9% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 36.3% | 32.7–40% | 21.8% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 17.4% | 15.5–19.4% | 13.2% | worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.1% | 37.1–45.1% | 30.9% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 19.5% | 17.3–21.7% | 14% | |
| Thinking or memory | 21.9% | 19.4–24.6% | 15.1% | |
| Hearing | 7.3% | 6.6–8.2% | 6.3% | |
| Vision | 12.5% | 11.2–13.8% | 6.1% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 7% | 6.2–7.9% | 4% | |
| Errands alone | 12.5% | 11–14.1% | 8.2% | |
How CDC estimates town health
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.