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Stewart-Studebaker HouseStewart-Studebaker House · Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
≈ CHealth Grade
Health in Bluffton · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Bluffton is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns

Bluffton trails Indiana on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bluffton. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Bluffton

Bluffton is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Bluffton is healthier than 28%. Against the 8,184 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 47%. Health Grade ↓

Bluffton has a top-rated hospital

Bluffton Regional 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 Indiana figure falls outside Bluffton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.

Health Grade

What’s behind Bluffton’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bluffton is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns, #336 of 589 in Indiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 41% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 10%).

C+Self-rated health21.3% · IN 20.6% · U.S. 19.4%
C+Physical distress14.7% · IN 13.8% · U.S. 13%
CMental distress18.1% · IN 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity42.4% · IN 38.4% · U.S. 32.9%
CDiabetes13.1% · IN 13% · U.S. 12%
CSmoking17% smoke · IN 15.7% · U.S. 11.8%
C+Exercise27% · IN 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 28%
Less healthyHealthier
Indiana towns we grade (589)Healthier than 43%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $43K–$72K (8,184)Healthier than 47%

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). Bluffton’s median household income is $57,539; among the 8,184 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.

Few Indiana towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Bluffton is healthier than 43% of graded towns, against 28% nationally.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Bluffton could be anywhere from D to B+. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Getting care

Care in and near Bluffton

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Bluffton, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERBluffton Regional Medical CenterBluffton · 0.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyBluffton Regional Medical Center★★★★★ · 0.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMeridian Health ServicesBluffton · 0.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.4 mi
Bluffton Regional Medical Center
Bluffton · ★★★★★
ERIn Bluffton
0.4 mi
Meridian Health Services
8 sites · nearest in Bluffton
Sliding-scale feesIn Bluffton
Directions to nearest
14.5 mi
Adams Memorial Hospital
Decatur · not rated
ERRural critical access
20.1 mi
Parkview Huntington Hospital
Huntington · ★★★★★
ER
20.6 mi
Lutheran Hospital of Indiana
Fort Wayne · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careBluffton is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careBluffton is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Bluffton itself

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 Bluffton; ≈ 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).

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Bluffton adults…

Bluffton runs above IN on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Bluffton adults have had cancer
Indiana: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.5–10.4%
Better than INWorseAbout the sameIndiana
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana

Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.

Get no exercise 27%IN 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 37.8%IN 37.1%
Binge drink 15.8%IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 17%IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Bluffton, betterBluffton, worseAbout the sameIndiana
Where Bluffton gets moving

1.9 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Bluffton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.

79%Yearly checkupIN 80%
61%Dentist visitIN 61%
86%Cholesterol checkIN 86%
69%Colon screeningIN 66%
75%MammogramIN 76%
78%Taking BP medsIN 77%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Bluffton 8.6% · Indiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection

How Bluffton adults are doing

About the same as Indiana on each measure.

1 in 3Bluffton adults feel lonely
33.5% · IN 32.8% · About the same as IN
1 in 4Bluffton adults lack social or emotional support
22.7% · IN 23.2% · About the same as IN
1 in 4Bluffton adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.2% · IN 25.1% · About the same as IN
1 in 6Bluffton adults are in frequent mental distress
18.1% · IN 17.6% · About the same as IN
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Bluffton adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 7
Bluffton adults worry about having enough food
13.7% · IN 14.7%
About the same as IN
1 in 10
Bluffton adults worry about keeping their housing
10.5% · IN 11.2%
About the same as IN
1 in 13
Bluffton adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.5% · IN 8.4%
About the same as IN
1 in 14
Bluffton adults lack reliable transportation
7.2% · IN 7.7%
About the same as IN

7.9% of Bluffton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.

Around town

Bluffton and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
BlufftonC42.4%13.1%17%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

34%

of Bluffton adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16%
Thinking or memory15.7%
Hearing8.1%
Errands alone8.7%
Vision5%
Dressing or bathing3.8%
Indiana

Every CDC estimate for Bluffton

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bluffton is better than Indiana on 0 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Bluffton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…BlufftonINU.S.vs IN
Overall health
Fair or poor health21.3%18.5–24.120.6%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)14.7%12.9–16.613.8%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18.1%15.9–20.317.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity42.4%34.3–50.738.4%32.9%About the same
Diabetes13.1%11.3–14.913%12%About the same
High blood pressure39.7%35.3–4437.8%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)38.6%34.2–43.137.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis32%28.5–35.528.3%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.3%9.9–12.711.2%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.4%8.5–10.48.3%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.5%6.7–8.46.8%6.4%About the same
COPD9.1%8–10.28.1%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.8%3.4–4.13.5%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)15.5%12.7–18.415.4%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17%14.6–19.715.7%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work27%22.5–31.724.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.8%12.8–1916.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.8%31.3–44.437.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8.6%7.1–10.28.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79.4%75.8–82.779.7%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year60.7%57–64.161.2%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.7%83.8–87.685.8%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)78.4%75.7–80.977.4%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)68.7%63.8–73.266.3%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)75.3%67.5–81.976.4%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression26.2%22.4–30.325.1%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely33.5%28.3–38.932.8%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support22.7%19.1–26.723.2%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food13.7%11.4–16.114.7%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing10.5%8.8–12.311.2%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off7.5%6.4–8.78.4%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation7.2%6.2–8.37.7%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)7.9%6.4–9.38.6%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability34%29.6–38.531.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs16%13.9–18.314.2%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15.7%13.8–17.615%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.1%7.1–9.17.1%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty5%4.5–5.65%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8.7%7.6–9.78.1%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.8%3.4–4.33.7%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 Indiana figure falls inside that range.

Questions about health in Bluffton

Is Bluffton a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bluffton is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #336 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Bluffton?

CDC estimates 42.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.3% and 50.7%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Bluffton?

Bluffton Regional Medical Center in Bluffton, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Bluffton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Bluffton have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10.2%), against 8.9% across Indiana.

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 Bluffton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bluffton.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Indiana 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.