Meridian, Mississippi is a city with a population of over 41,000 people. It has several local hospitals and medical facilities that provide the residents with quality healthcare services. These include Anderson Regional Medical Center, Rush Health Systems, and West Florida Hospital. All of these facilities have a wide range of health care services ranging from basic check-ups to more complex treatments such as organ transplants. The city also has a variety of specialty clinics including orthopedics, neurosurgery, and radiology. Many of these facilities offer preventive care, such as immunizations and screenings for cancer and other diseases. Furthermore, there are numerous community health centers available for those who may not be able to afford health insurance or may not have access to primary care services due to financial constraints. With these resources in place, the health of Meridian's residents is well taken care of.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 308 physicians per 100,000 population in Meridian. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Meridian area is 104.3 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
104.3 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Meridian area is 86 (100=best). The US average is 55.
86 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Meridian area is 92 (100=best). The US average is 87.
92 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Meridian commutes 17.7 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Meridian area is 26 (100=best). The US average is 58.
26 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.