Health in Merkel, TX (79536) is supported by a number of local hospitals and medical facilities. The most prominent hospital in the area is Abilene Regional Medical Center, located just a few miles away from the city center. Other healthcare options include Brownwood Regional Medical Center, Hendrick Medical Center, and the Abilene VA Health Care System. These facilities provide local residents with access to a variety of medical services ranging from primary care to cancer treatment. The medical centers also feature specialty clinics for various conditions including mental health, obstetrics/gynecology, cardiology, and more. Additionally, Merkel has a number of urgent care centers that are available on a walk-in basis for those who need help with minor or non-life threatening ailments. Furthermore, Merkle also has a number of mental health resources such as counseling services provided by local professionals and support groups through organizations like Big Country Mental Health & Mental Retardation Services. Overall, Merkel offers an array of healthcare options that can meet the needs of its citizens and visitors alike.
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 Unlock physicians per 100,000 population in Merkel (zip 79536). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Merkel (zip 79536) area is Unlock. The US average is 100.
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Merkel (zip 79536) area is Unlock. The US average is 55.
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 Merkel (zip 79536) area is Unlock. The US average is 87.
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 Merkel (zip 79536) commutes Unlock 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 Merkel (zip 79536) area is Unlock. The US average is 58.
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.