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John and Cynthia Garwood FarmsteadJohn and Cynthia Garwood Farmstead · Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
≈ CHealth Grade
Health in Center Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Center Township is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns

Center Township trails Indiana on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 46350. How CDC estimates town health

Health Grade

What’s behind Center Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Center Township is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #321 of 589 in Indiana. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 51% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 20%).

CSelf-rated health22.1% · IN 20.6% · U.S. 19.4%
CPhysical distress15.2% · IN 13.8% · U.S. 13%
C+Mental distress17.8% · IN 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
B−Obesity36.1% · IN 38.4% · U.S. 32.9%
C−Diabetes14.4% · IN 13% · U.S. 12%
CSmoking17.3% smoke · IN 15.7% · U.S. 11.8%
C+Exercise27.1% · IN 24.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 30%
Less healthyHealthier
Indiana towns we grade (589)Healthier than 46%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $51K–$85K (10,341)Healthier than 36%

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). Center Township’s median household income is $68,142; among the 10,341 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

Few Indiana towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Center Township is healthier than 46% of graded towns, against 30% nationally.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Center Township could be anywhere from D to B. The letter shows with “≈”. Shared figures. CDC doesn’t publish an estimate for Center Township itself, so these are ZIP code 46350’s, which Center Township shares with Washington Township. The two towns get the same figures and the same grade, and the ZIP’s 34,487 adults include people outside Center Township.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Center Township adults…

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

9 of every 100 Center Township adults have had cancer
Indiana: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.5–10.3%
Better than INWorseAbout the sameIndiana
Getting care

Care in and near Center Township

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

HNearest ERNorthwest Health-La PorteLa Porte · 2.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNorthwest Health-La Porte★★★★★ · 2.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHealthlincLaporte · 2.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.5 mi
Healthlinc
3 sites · nearest in Laporte
Sliding-scale feesIn Center Township
Directions to nearest
2.7 mi
Northwest Health-La Porte
La Porte · ★★★★★
ERIn Center Township
4.1 mi
Northshore Health Centers
5 sites · nearest in La Porte
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
6.7 mi
Franciscan Health Michigan City
Michigan City · ★★★★★
ER
16.5 mi
Northwest Health - Porter
Valparaiso · ★★★★★
ER
30.4 mi
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center - Plymouth
Plymouth · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Center Township itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Center Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Center Township 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 Center Township; ≈ 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 27.1%IN 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 36.3%IN 37.1%
Binge drink 15.2%IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 17.3%IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Center Township, betterCenter Township, worseAbout the sameIndiana
Where Center Township gets moving

18 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupIN 80%
60%Dentist visitIN 61%
87%Cholesterol checkIN 86%
66%Colon screeningIN 66%
74%MammogramIN 76%
79%Taking BP medsIN 77%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Center Township 9% · Indiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection

How Center Township adults are doing

About the same as Indiana on each measure.

1 in 3Center Township adults feel lonely
35.8% · IN 32.8% · About the same as IN
1 in 4Center Township adults lack social or emotional support
23.1% · IN 23.2% · About the same as IN
1 in 4Center Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.4% · IN 25.1% · About the same as IN
1 in 6Center Township adults are in frequent mental distress
17.8% · IN 17.6% · About the same as IN
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Center Township 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
Center Township adults worry about having enough food
14.7% · IN 14.7%
About the same as IN
1 in 9
Center Township adults worry about keeping their housing
11.1% · IN 11.2%
About the same as IN
1 in 12
Center Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.3% · IN 8.4%
About the same as IN
1 in 13
Center Township adults lack reliable transportation
7.6% · IN 7.7%
About the same as IN

8.9% of Center Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.

Around town

Center Township and the towns around it

Center Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 graded towns around it.

Coolspring Township: 38.7%Scipio Township: 36.1%Springfield Township: 37.8%Kankakee Township: 35.4%Michigan Township: 39.2%New Durham Township: 38.8%Michigan City: 40.8%Pine Township: 39.4%Washington Township: 36.1%Noble Township: 36.2%Pleasant Township: 35.9%New Buffalo Township: 36.1%Galena Township: 35.4%Michiana: 34.6%Wills Township: 34.2%Center Township: 36.1%Center TownshipCoolspring TownshipScipio TownshipSpringfield TownshipKankakee TownshipNorthwest Health-La Porte · La Porte · 2.7 mi · 3★ MedicareHFranciscan Health Michigan City · Michigan City · 6.7 mi · 3★ MedicareHHealthlinc La Porte · Laporte · 2.5 mi+Northshore Laporte Health Center · La Porte · 4.1 mi+
Healthier than INNear INLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#6 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Kankakee Township35.4%
Center Township36.1%
Scipio Township36.1%
Springfield Township37.8%
Coolspring Township38.7%
IN38.4%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Center Township · Scipio TownshipC36.1%14.4%17.3%ZIP 46350
Coolspring TownshipC−38.7%16%18.9%ZIP codes
Springfield TownshipC−37.8%15.5%18.3%ZIP codes
Kankakee TownshipC+35.4%13.9%16.7%ZIP codes

Center Township and Scipio Township share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

35%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.4%
Thinking or memory15.4%
Hearing8%
Errands alone8.6%
Vision5.2%
Dressing or bathing4%
Indiana

Every CDC estimate for Center Township

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Center Township is better than Indiana on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Center Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Center TownshipINU.S.vs IN
Overall health
Fair or poor health22.1%19.8–24.720.6%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)15.2%13.5–16.913.8%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)17.8%15.9–19.817.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity36.1%30–42.338.4%32.9%About the same
Diabetes14.4%12.7–16.313%12%About the same
High blood pressure40.5%36.7–44.237.8%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)39.7%35.8–43.637.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis32%28.9–35.128.3%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.1%9.8–12.411.2%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.4%8.5–10.38.3%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.5%6.8–8.36.8%6.4%About the same
COPD9.1%8.2–10.18.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke3.8%3.5–4.13.5%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)16.1%13.2–19.215.4%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.3%15.2–19.515.7%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work27.1%23.5–3124.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.2%12.6–1816.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours36.3%30.8–42.237.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)9%7.8–10.38.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79.8%76.6–82.779.7%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year59.5%55.8–62.961.2%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.6%85.1–88.185.8%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)78.9%76.2–81.377.4%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)65.7%61–70.466.3%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)73.6%66–80.476.4%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression25.4%22–28.825.1%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely35.8%31.5–40.332.8%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support23.1%20.1–26.323.2%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food14.7%12.9–16.814.7%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing11.1%9.7–12.711.2%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off8.3%7.2–9.38.4%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation7.6%6.7–8.57.7%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)8.9%7.7–10.28.6%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability35%31.2–3931.1%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs16.4%14.5–18.414.2%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15.4%13.9–17.115%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8%7.2–8.97.1%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.2%4.8–5.75%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8.6%7.7–9.58.1%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing4%3.7–4.43.7%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 Center Township

Is Center Township a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Center Township is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #321 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Center Township?

CDC estimates 36.1% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 46350, which Center Township shares with Washington Township) have obesity, likely between 30% and 42.3%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Center Township?

Northwest Health-La Porte in La Porte, 2.7 miles in a straight line from Center Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Center Township have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–10.3%), 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 Center Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B. The figures are ZIP code 46350’s, shared with Washington Township.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Center Township.

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.