Pocatello Westside Residential Historic District · Photo: Eric Kjaemperud · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Pocatello is healthier than 89%
Pocatello differs from Idaho on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pocatello. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pocatello
Pocatello is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Pocatello is healthier than 64%. Against the 9,042 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 89%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Pocatello
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.1%), vs 12.8% across Idaho. Utility shut-off threats (8.4% vs 6.6%) and no reliable transportation (9.1% vs 7.5%) are higher too. 11.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Pocatello has a top-rated hospital
Portneuf Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Idaho figure falls outside Pocatello’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Pocatello’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pocatello is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, #34 of 59 in Idaho. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 86% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 37%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Pocatello’s median household income is $60,418; among the 9,042 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Idaho towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Pocatello is healthier than 43% of graded towns, against 64% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.8% of Pocatello adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.8% across Idaho.
Care in and near Pocatello
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Pocatello, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Pocatello; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Pocatello adults…
Pocatello runs below ID on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Idaho
Share of adults, with the Idaho figure marked.
49 miles of trails across 37 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Pocatello adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Idaho.
How Pocatello adults are doing
About the same as Idaho on each measure.
1 in 3 Pocatello adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Pocatello and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pocatello adults live with a disability (Idaho 34.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pocatello
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pocatello is better than Idaho on 1 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Idaho figure falls inside Pocatello’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pocatello | ID | U.S. | vs ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%17.1–21.4 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.8–16 | 13.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%16–19.7 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%28.5–38 | 32.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.3%27.3–33.4 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.4%28.1–34.6 | 33.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.9%22.4–27.4 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.8 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.3%6.6–8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%6–7.5 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.6%12.8–18.8 | 16.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%19.4–25.5 | 22.2% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.7–17.6 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.3%31.5–41.3 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%9.3–12.1 | 10.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.7%70.4–76.8 | 74.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.6%60.2–66.9 | 66.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.2%75–79.3 | 81.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%66.7–72.5 | 70.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62%57.3–66.6 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.7%63–77.6 | 69.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.8%22.6–29 | 23.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32%28–35.9 | 29.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%17.9–23.5 | 19.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.1%14.1–18.2 | 12.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%10.4–13.7 | 10.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 6.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%8.1–10.2 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%10.2–13.4 | 8.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.6%34–41.2 | 34.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%13–16.3 | 14.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.8%16–19.6 | 16% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 9.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.8–5.7 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.2–10.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Idaho figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Pocatello
Is Pocatello a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pocatello is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #34 of 59 in Idaho. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pocatello?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.5% and 38%, against 32.1% across Idaho and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pocatello?
Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, 2.2 miles in a straight line from Pocatello’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pocatello have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.3–12.1%), against 10.7% across Idaho.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Pocatello more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pocatello.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Idaho 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.