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DHealth Grade
Health in Wharton · CDC PLACES 2025

Health in Wharton

Wharton differs from Texas on 14 of 33 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (78.5% vs 74.1%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (21.5% vs 12.5%).

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

What stands out about health in Wharton

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

★ What stands out · Getting care

Care in and near Wharton

1 community health center in Wharton, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest EREl Campo Memorial HospitalEl Campo · 13.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMemorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital★★★★★ · 30.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMatagorda Episcopal Health Outreach Program CorporationWharton · 1.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.1 mi
Matagorda Episcopal Health Outreach Program Corporation
8 sites · nearest in Wharton
Sliding-scale feesIn Wharton
Directions to nearest
13.2 mi
El Campo Memorial Hospital
El Campo · ★★★★★
ER
23.7 mi
Rice Medical Center
Eagle Lake · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.9 mi
Oakbend Medical Center
Richmond · ★★★★★
ER
30.3 mi
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital
Sugar Land · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careWharton’s county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wharton County · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careWharton’s county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wharton County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthWharton’s county is a federal shortage area.Wharton County · need score 13 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 Wharton; ≈ 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 Texas

Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.

Get no exercise 35.9%TX 27.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 41.2%TX 38.2%
Binge drink 14.2%TX 17%
Smoke cigarettes 15.9%TX 12.5%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Wharton, betterWharton, worseAbout the sameTexas
Map of trails and conserved land in Wharton
Where Wharton gets moving

1.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Health Grade

Wharton’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Wharton is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated health29.4% · TX 21.8%
C−Physical distress16.6% · TX 13.2%
CMental distress18.2% · TX 16.9%
DObesity43.1% · TX 35.6%
DDiabetes17.7% · TX 12.7%
C+Smoking15.9% smoke · TX 12.5%
DExercise35.9% · TX 27.8%
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 11%
Less healthyHealthier
Texas towns we grade (1,011)Healthier than 16%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $44K–$73K (7,801)Healthier than 16%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Wharton could be anywhere from D− to C+.
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 the 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): A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D and D− the bottom 15%. There’s no F.
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Wharton 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. 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.
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Wharton adults…

Wharton runs above TX on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

5 of every 100 Wharton adults have had a stroke
Texas: 3 in 100 · worse · likely 4.4–5.2%
Better than TXWorseAbout the sameTexas
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76% Yearly checkupTX 74%
48% Dentist visitTX 55%
85% Cholesterol checkTX 85%
60% Colon screeningTX 58%
71% MammogramTX 74%
79% Taking BP medsTX 74%
1 in 4
working-age adults has no health insurance
Wharton 22.8% · Texas 1 in 5 (19.1%)
Mind & connection

How Wharton adults are doing

About the same as Texas on each measure.

1 in 5Wharton adults have been diagnosed with depression
21% · TX 21.2% · About the same as TX
1 in 5Wharton adults are in frequent mental distress
18.2% · TX 16.9% · About the same as TX
The one neighbors can help with

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.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

39.1%

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

Walking or climbing stairs20.7%
Thinking or memory17.9%
Hearing8.2%
Errands alone11.5%
Vision9%
Dressing or bathing6.3%
Texas
All 33 CDC measures for Wharton
MeasureWhartonLikely rangeTexas
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.6%37.2–45.9%33.1%worse
High cholesterol37.9%33.4–42.3%35.1%about the same
Obesity43.1%34.3–51.8%35.6%about the same
Arthritis27.3%24–30.5%21.6%worse
Depression21%17.6–24.5%21.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)21.5%17.9–25.6%12.5%worse
Asthma10.6%9.3–11.9%9.5%about the same
Cancer (not skin)6.8%6.1–7.5%6.1%about the same
Diabetes17.7%15.5–19.9%12.7%worse
COPD8.5%7.5–9.5%5.7%worse
Heart disease8%7.2–8.9%5.6%worse
Stroke4.8%4.4–5.2%3.2%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.9%13.7–18.2%12.5%worse
Binge drink14.2%11.6–17.1%17%about the same
Get no exercise35.9%30.7–41.5%27.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours41.2%33.9–48.9%38.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76.2%72.3–79.7%73.8%about the same
Dentist visit47.6%43.9–51.5%54.6%worse
Cholesterol check84.5%82.7–86.3%84.6%about the same
Colon screening60%54.6–65.4%57.9%about the same
Mammogram70.6%61.8–78.3%74.1%about the same
Taking BP meds78.5%75.9–80.8%74.1%better
No health insurance22.8%20–25.8%19.1%worse
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress18.2%16.1–20.3%16.9%about the same
Fair or poor health29.4%26.1–32.9%21.8%worse
Frequent physical distress16.6%14.6–18.6%13.2%worse
Disability
Any disability39.1%34.3–43.9%30.9%
Walking or climbing stairs20.7%18.2–23.2%14%
Thinking or memory17.9%15.9–20%15.1%
Hearing8.2%7.3–9.1%6.3%
Vision9%8.2–9.9%6.1%
Dressing or bathing6.3%5.7–7%4%
Errands alone11.5%10.2–12.8%8.2%

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 Wharton door to door.

Close calls stay gray

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

CDC’s own town estimate

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

Neighbors talk health

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

Town Square →
Weigh in
Live in Wharton? Is a D for health right?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Texas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. 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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