On CDC estimates, Harlan is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns
Harlan differs from Indiana on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Harlan. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Harlan
What’s behind Harlan’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harlan is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 70% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Harlan’s median household income is $75,313; among the 10,840 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Harlan adults…
Harlan runs below IN on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Harlan is an older town: 36% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Many conditions rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Harlan as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Harlan
No hospital or community health center in Harlan itself. These are the nearest.
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 Harlan; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Harlan adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Harlan adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Harlan runs above Indiana.
1 in 3 Harlan 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.
7.9% of Harlan adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Harlan and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan | B− | 37.6% | 11% | 16.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Harlan adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Harlan
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Harlan is better than Indiana on 7 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Harlan’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Harlan | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.4%17.1–24.1 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.8–15.7 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.1–22 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.6%33.5–41.8 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11%9.5–12.5 | 13% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.2%30.4–36 | 37.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.8–37.7 | 37.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 25.3%23–27.8 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.7–13.5 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.1–6.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 8.3%6.8–9.9 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10–14.6 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.8%13.6–20.2 | 15.7% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.6%19–26.4 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.1%16.5–22 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.1%29.4–37 | 37.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%7.2–12.5 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%73.5–79.7 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.9%60.9–66.9 | 61.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.1–85.9 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%71.3–76.7 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63%58.8–67.1 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.3%61.8–76 | 76.4% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.5%26.4–32.7 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%30.8–39.3 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.7–28.2 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%11–18.3 | 14.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%8.6–13.5 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.3–9.2 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.1–9.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.9%5.8–10.4 | 8.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.2–35.9 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13%10.7–15.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%14.7–20.5 | 15% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.5–7.2 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.2–10.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%2.9–4.3 | 3.7% | 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 Harlan
Is Harlan a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harlan is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 48%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Harlan?
CDC estimates 37.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.5% and 41.8%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Harlan?
Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, 9.2 miles in a straight line from Harlan’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Harlan have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–12.5%), 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 Harlan more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Harlan.
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.