Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Elwood is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Elwood trails Indiana on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elwood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elwood
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Elwood
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11%), vs 8.1% across Indiana. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 6.8% across Indiana. Arthritis is also above the state: 34.2%, vs 28.3% across Indiana. In all, Elwood runs above Indiana on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Elwood adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.1%), vs 24.9% across Indiana. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Elwood
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (21.9%), vs 15.7% across Indiana. Habits ↓
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 Elwood’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Elwood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elwood is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, #514 of 589 in Indiana. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 40% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Elwood’s median household income is $53,280; among the 6,867 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 24%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Elwood adults…
Elwood runs above IN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
0.5 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Elwood
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Elwood, 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 Elwood; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Elwood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Elwood adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Elwood 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.4% of Elwood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Elwood and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elwood | D | 37.5% | 15% | 21.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elwood adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elwood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elwood is better than Indiana on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Elwood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elwood | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%22.1–28.4 | 20.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.8–18.8 | 13.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.6–22 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%31.6–43.7 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15%13.2–17 | 13% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.1%38.2–46 | 37.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.2%37.2–45.3 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.2%31–37.4 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.3–10.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.4–9.3 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11%9.7–12.4 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.3%17–24 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.9%18.9–24.9 | 15.7% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.1%27.9–36.9 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%11.9–17.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38%32.9–43.4 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%7.9–11.4 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.3–82.7 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.1%52.6–59.7 | 61.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.6%82.7–86.3 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.3–81.5 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%62.7–71.6 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%64.4–78.5 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.7%25–32.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%29.2–38.1 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.7%20.5–27.2 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.5%14.8–20.4 | 14.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.6–14.5 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.1–10.9 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.7–10.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%9.4–13.6 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.8%31.8–40.3 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.4%15.2–19.7 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.6–19.8 | 15% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.6 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.7 | 5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%9–11.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 3.7% | 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 Elwood
Is Elwood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elwood is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: D for health, #514 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 24%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elwood?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 43.7%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elwood?
Ascension St. Vincent Mercy in Elwood, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Elwood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Elwood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–11.4%), 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 Elwood more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elwood.
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.