West Hattiesburg, MS has a variety of health resources available to its residents. The city is home to two major hospitals, Wesley Medical Center and Forrest General Hospital, both offering high quality medical care for patients in the local area. In addition to these larger facilities, there are a number of smaller medical clinics and specialty centers located throughout the city and surrounding areas. These provide residents with access to services like primary care, mental health counseling, physical therapy, and much more. Residents also have access to emergency response teams such as firefighters and paramedics that can respond quickly to any emergency situation. With so many options available in West Hattiesburg for medical assistance and treatment, it is clear that the health of its people is a top priority for local authorities.
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 424 physicians per 100,000 population in West Hattiesburg. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the West Hattiesburg area is 108.2 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
108.2 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the West Hattiesburg area is 40 (100=best). The US average is 55.
40 / 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 West Hattiesburg area is 76 (100=best). The US average is 87.
76 / 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 West Hattiesburg commutes 25.2 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 West Hattiesburg area is 48 (100=best). The US average is 58.
48 / 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.