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BrownstownINHistoricMainStreetPhoto: Reporter1998 · Public domain
≈ C+Health Grade
Health in Brownstown · CDC PLACES 2025

Within Indiana, Brownstown is healthier than 58% of graded towns

Brownstown differs from Indiana on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 3 worse.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Brownstown

Cancer runs high in Brownstown

1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 8.3% across Indiana. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Indiana 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Brownstown is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Brownstown is healthier than 39%. Against the 9,562 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 56%. Health Grade ↓

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 Brownstown’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Brownstown’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brownstown is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #246 of 589 in Indiana. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 50% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 32%).

C+Self-rated health20.6% · IN 20.6% · U.S. 19.4%
B−Physical distress14.4% · IN 13.8% · U.S. 13%
C+Mental distress17.7% · IN 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
CObesity38.4% · IN 38.4% · U.S. 32.9%
C+Diabetes13% · IN 13% · U.S. 12%
C+Smoking16% smoke · IN 15.7% · U.S. 11.8%
B−Exercise25.6% · IN 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 38%
Less healthyHealthier
Indiana towns we grade (589)Healthier than 58%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $47K–$78K (9,562)Healthier than 56%

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). Brownstown’s median household income is $62,756; among the 9,562 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 56%, more than its income alone would suggest.

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

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Brownstown adults…

Brownstown runs above IN on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Brownstown adults have had cancer
Indiana: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.9–11.1%
Better than INWorseAbout the sameIndiana
Why age matters here

Brownstown is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Brownstown as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Brownstown29%
Indiana17%
Getting care

Care in and near Brownstown

No hospital or community health center in Brownstown itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERSchneck Medical CenterSeymour · 10 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySchneck Medical Center★★★★★ · 10.0 miDirections →
+Low-cost careIndiana Health Centers IncorporatedSeymour · 10.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10 mi
Schneck Medical Center
Seymour · ★★★★★
ER
10.1 mi
Indiana Health Centers Incorporated
3 sites · nearest in Seymour
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
15.4 mi
Lifespring
2 sites · nearest in Austin
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.6 mi
Norton Scott Hospital
Scottsburg · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
18.8 mi
Ascension St. Vincent Salem
Salem · not rated
ERRural critical access
23.7 mi
Ascension St. Vincent Jennings
North Vernon · not rated
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careBrownstown is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careBrownstown is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Brownstown 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 Brownstown; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana

Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.6%IN 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 34.4%IN 37.1%
Binge drink 15.9%IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 16%IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Brownstown, betterBrownstown, worseAbout the sameIndiana
Where Brownstown gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupIN 80%
61%Dentist visitIN 61%
87%Cholesterol checkIN 86%
67%Colon screeningIN 66%
71%MammogramIN 76%
80%Taking BP medsIN 77%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Brownstown 7.8% · Indiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection

How Brownstown adults are doing

About the same as Indiana on each measure.

1 in 3Brownstown adults feel lonely
32.7% · IN 32.8% · About the same as IN
1 in 5Brownstown adults lack social or emotional support
21.9% · IN 23.2% · About the same as IN
1 in 4Brownstown adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.9% · IN 25.1% · About the same as IN
1 in 6Brownstown adults are in frequent mental distress
17.7% · IN 17.6% · About the same as IN
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Brownstown 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 8
Brownstown adults worry about having enough food
12.4% · IN 14.7%
About the same as IN
1 in 11
Brownstown adults worry about keeping their housing
9.5% · IN 11.2%
About the same as IN
1 in 14
Brownstown adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.9% · IN 8.4%
Better than IN
1 in 15
Brownstown adults lack reliable transportation
6.7% · IN 7.7%
About the same as IN

7.1% of Brownstown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.

Around town

Brownstown and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
BrownstownC+38.4%13%16%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

32.9%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.8%
Thinking or memory15.2%
Hearing8.4%
Errands alone8.6%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.8%
Indiana

Every CDC estimate for Brownstown

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brownstown is better than Indiana on 1 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Brownstown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…BrownstownINU.S.vs IN
Overall health
Fair or poor health20.6%17.1–24.620.6%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)14.4%12.4–16.813.8%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)17.7%15.4–20.217.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity38.4%31.1–45.938.4%32.9%About the same
Diabetes13%11.2–15.213%12%About the same
High blood pressure38.4%34.2–42.637.8%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)38.9%34.5–43.337.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis32.1%28.7–35.728.3%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.4%10.1–1311.2%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10%8.9–11.18.3%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.7%6.7–8.86.8%6.4%About the same
COPD9%7.4–10.88.1%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.8%3.3–4.53.5%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)19.1%15.8–22.715.4%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16%12.9–19.515.7%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work25.6%20.9–30.824.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.9%13.1–1916.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours34.4%28.5–40.837.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)7.8%5.7–10.18.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year80.1%76.9–83.279.7%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year61.3%57.7–64.861.2%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.6%84.4–88.885.8%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)79.7%77–8277.4%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)66.5%61.7–71.166.3%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)71.1%62.6–78.576.4%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression26.9%23.1–30.825.1%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely32.7%27.6–3832.8%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support21.9%18.3–2623.2%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food12.4%9.7–15.614.7%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing9.5%7.6–11.511.2%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.9%5.7–8.28.4%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation6.7%5.6–87.7%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)7.1%5.3–98.6%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability32.9%28.1–38.131.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs15.8%13.2–18.914.2%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15.2%12.7–17.915%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.4%7.3–9.67.1%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.9%4.1–5.85%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8.6%7.2–10.38.1%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.8%3.2–4.53.7%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 Brownstown

Is Brownstown a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brownstown is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #246 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 56%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Brownstown?

CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.1% and 45.9%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Brownstown?

Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, 10.0 miles in a straight line from Brownstown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Brownstown have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–10.1%), 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 Brownstown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Neighbors talk health

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

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.