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≈ C−Health Grade
Health in Center Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Center Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns

Center Township trails Indiana on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 47581, 47553. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Center Township

COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Center Township

1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.3%), vs 8.1% across Indiana. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 6.8% across Indiana. Cancer is also above the state: 10%, vs 8.3% across Indiana. In all, Center Township runs above Indiana on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Indiana 17%), and COPD, heart disease and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Center Township is short on primary care and mental health care

Center Township’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. 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 Center Township’s likely range; Center Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 47581, 47553, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.

Health Grade

What’s behind Center Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Center Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 40% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 17%).

CSelf-rated health22.6% · IN 20.6% · U.S. 19.4%
C−Physical distress15.8% · IN 13.8% · U.S. 13%
CMental distress18% · IN 17.6% · U.S. 15.9%
CObesity38.6% · IN 38.4% · U.S. 32.9%
C−Diabetes14.4% · IN 13% · U.S. 12%
C−Smoking18.6% 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 23%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $45K–$76K (9,068)Healthier than 34%

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 $60,529; among the 9,068 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

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 “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 47581,47553), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Center Township adults…

Center Township runs above IN on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Center Township adults have COPD
Indiana: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9–11.6%
Better than INWorseAbout the sameIndiana
Why age matters here

Center Township is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Center Township as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Center Township27%
Indiana17%
Getting care

Care in and near Center Township

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

HNearest ERDaviess Community HospitalWashington · 18.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyDaviess Community Hospital★★★★★ · 18.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGood Samaritan Family Health CenterLoogootee · 4.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.9 mi
Good Samaritan Family Health Center
4 sites · nearest in Loogootee
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13.6 mi
Southern Indiana Community Health Care
3 sites · nearest in West Baden Springs
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.3 mi
Daviess Community Hospital
Washington · ★★★★★
ER
20.1 mi
Indiana University Health Paoli Hospital
Paoli · not rated
ERRural critical access
20.6 mi
Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center
Jasper · ★★★★★
ER
21 mi
Indiana University Health Bedford Hospital
Bedford · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ 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 36.4%IN 37.1%
Binge drink 15.9%IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 18.6%IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Center Township, betterCenter Township, worseAbout the sameIndiana
Where Center Township gets moving

4.9 miles of trails across 2 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%
59%Dentist visitIN 61%
87%Cholesterol checkIN 86%
67%Colon screeningIN 66%
75%MammogramIN 76%
80%Taking BP medsIN 77%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Center Township 8.3% · 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
32.7% · IN 32.8% · About the same as IN
1 in 4Center Township adults lack social or emotional support
23.2% · IN 23.2% · About the same as IN
1 in 4Center Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.6% · IN 25.1% · About the same as IN
1 in 6Center Township adults are in frequent mental distress
18% · 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
13.5% · IN 14.7%
About the same as IN
1 in 10
Center Township adults worry about keeping their housing
10.1% · IN 11.2%
About the same as IN
1 in 14
Center Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.3% · IN 8.4%
About the same as IN
1 in 14
Center Township adults lack reliable transportation
7.1% · IN 7.7%
About the same as IN

7.9% 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 3 graded towns around it.

Halbert Township: 38.8%Shoals: 37.6%Perry Township: 39.5%Rutherford Township: 40.2%Mitcheltree Township: 39.5%Lost River Township: 38.5%Northwest Township: 39.9%Spice Valley Township: 42.8%Van Buren Township: 39.9%Madison Township: 39.9%Barr Township: 39.7%Harbison Township: 39.8%Reeve Township: 39.4%Indian Creek Township: 42%Jackson Township: 39.5%Center Township: 38.6%Center TownshipHalbert TownshipShoalsPerry TownshipRutherford TownshipMitcheltree TownshipMartin County Family Health Center · Loogootee · 4.9 mi+Sichc West Baden · West Baden Springs · 13.6 mi+
Healthier than INNear INLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#3 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Shoals37.6%
Center Township38.6%
Halbert Township38.8%
Perry Township39.5%
Mitcheltree Township39.5%
Rutherford Township40.2%
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 TownshipC−38.6%14.4%18.6%ZIP codes
Halbert TownshipC−38.8%14.5%18.4%ZIP codes
Shoals————
Perry TownshipC−39.5%13.5%19.8%ZIP codes
Rutherford Township————
Mitcheltree Township————

Shoals and Mitcheltree Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Rutherford Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

34.3%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.6%
Thinking or memory15.8%
Hearing8.7%
Errands alone9%
Vision5.2%
Dressing or bathing4.2%
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 7; 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 health22.6%19.8–25.820.6%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)15.8%14–17.913.8%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18%16–2017.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity38.6%30.8–4738.4%32.9%About the same
Diabetes14.4%12.5–16.413%12%About the same
High blood pressure41.4%37.1–45.737.8%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)41.8%37.4–46.237.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis33.2%29.7–36.728.3%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.6%10.2–12.911.2%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10%9.1–118.3%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.4%7.6–9.36.8%6.4%Worse
COPD10.3%9–11.68.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.1%3.7–4.63.5%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)16.1%13.3–19.315.4%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes18.6%16.1–21.515.7%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work27.1%22.8–31.824.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.9%13.1–18.916.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours36.4%29.8–43.337.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8.3%6.7–9.98.9%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year80.2%76.8–83.279.7%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year59.4%55.6–63.161.2%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.5%84.7–88.185.8%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)79.9%77.1–82.377.4%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)67.3%62.3–71.966.3%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)74.8%67–81.776.4%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression25.6%22–29.425.1%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely32.7%27.6–38.232.8%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support23.2%19.9–27.123.2%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food13.5%11.3–16.114.7%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing10.1%8.5–11.811.2%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off7.3%6.3–8.58.4%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation7.1%6.2–8.27.7%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)7.9%6.6–9.68.6%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability34.3%29.9–38.831.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs16.6%14.5–19.114.2%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering15.8%14–17.915%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.7%7.8–9.77.1%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.2%4.7–5.85%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone9%7.9–108.1%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.2%3.8–4.73.7%3.8%Higher

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 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. 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 38.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.8% and 47%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Center Township?

Daviess Community Hospital in Washington, 18.3 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 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.7–9.9%), 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.

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.