Health in Houston, Texas: official figures
23.7% of residents of Houston (546,782 people) had no health insurance in 2020-2024, 14th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 8.4%; Texas: 17.1%).
How many children in Houston are uninsured?
In Houston, 16.3% of children under 19 and 30.5% of adults aged 19 to 64 were uninsured in 2020-2024, against 3.8% of those 65 and over (US: 5.5%, 11.7% and 0.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Houston are on Medicaid?
18.0% of residents of Houston under 65 had Medicaid or other means-tested public coverage as their only health insurance in 2020-2024, 390th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 18.1%; Texas: 13.7%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Houston have a disability?
11.5% of residents of Houston (266,234 people) reported a disability in 2020-2024, 336th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 13.3%; Texas: 12.3%); 5.4% had two or more types of disability.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many older people in Houston have a disability?
By age, 35.7% of residents of Houston aged 65 and over, 9.3% of those aged 18 to 64 and 5.2% of children under 18 reported a disability in 2020-2024 (US: 32.9%, 10.9% and 4.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the obesity rate in Houston, Texas?
An estimated 38.2% of adults in Houston had obesity in 2023, joint 170th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow common is diabetes in Houston?
An estimated 14.4% of adults in Houston had been told by a doctor that they have diabetes, joint 79th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow is mental health in Houston?
An estimated 16.8% of adults in Houston reported poor mental health on 14 or more of the past 30 days, joint 299th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 19.5% had ever been told they have depression (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Houston have high blood pressure?
In Houston, an estimated 34.1% of adults had high blood pressure and 29.2% did no physical activity outside work, joint 191st highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate for physical inactivity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Houston see a doctor for a check-up?
An estimated 73.3% of adults in Houston had a routine check-up with a doctor in the past year, joint 330th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Houston compares with other cities in the United States
Residents without health insurance (2020-2024)
Houston ranks 14 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents without health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | McAllen | 24.1% |
| 12 | Edinburg | 24.0% |
| 13 | Union City | 24.0% |
| 14 | Houston | 23.7% |
| 15 | Dallas | 22.8% |
| 16 | Passaic | 22.6% |
| 17 | Harlingen | 22.6% |
Residents with a disability (2020-2024)
Houston ranks 488 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with a disability |
|---|---|---|
| 485 | Omaha | 11.6% |
| 486 | Lafayette | 11.5% |
| 487 | Frederick | 11.5% |
| 488 | Houston | 11.5% |
| 489 | Los Angeles | 11.5% |
| 490 | Smyrna | 11.5% |
| 491 | Hollywood | 11.5% |
Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Houston ranks 170 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 167 | Richmond | 38.3% |
| 168 | Murfreesboro | 38.3% |
| 169 | Harrisonburg | 38.3% |
| 170 | Houston | 38.2% |
| 171 | High Point | 38.2% |
| 172 | Longview | 38.2% |
| 173 | Hendersonville | 38.2% |
Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Houston ranks 79 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 76 | Gulfport | 14.5% |
| 77 | Terre Haute | 14.5% |
| 78 | Rocky Mount | 14.5% |
| 79 | Houston | 14.4% |
| 80 | Miami | 14.4% |
| 81 | San Bernardino | 14.4% |
| 82 | Columbus | 14.4% |
Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Houston ranks 296 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 293 | West Allis | 13.8% |
| 294 | Albany | 13.8% |
| 295 | Summerville | 13.8% |
| 296 | Houston | 13.7% |
| 297 | Brownsville | 13.7% |
| 298 | Albany | 13.7% |
| 299 | Deltona | 13.7% |
Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Houston ranks 498 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 495 | Petaluma | 16.9% |
| 496 | Tigard | 16.9% |
| 497 | Methuen | 16.9% |
| 498 | Houston | 16.8% |
| 499 | Glendale | 16.8% |
| 500 | Brownsville | 16.8% |
| 501 | Lewisville | 16.8% |
More on Houston: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C18108: Age by Number of Disabilities (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 8116247db31952c99ba053e6b0c767675a9674703b6b32e7705f1e4952f3b426), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b8f09efa878c…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B27010: Types of Health Insurance Coverage by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 2ceba99dada3ec1042310e1dc1f00bcc819de765c3143028aa000df025012a69), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3db662ef4cb3…)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
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