Photo: JoeyBLS · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Lake Station is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Lake Station differs from Indiana on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake Station. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake Station
Making ends meet is harder in Lake Station
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.4%), vs 14.7% across Indiana. Housing insecurity (16.1% vs 11.2%) and utility shut-off threats (12% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 14% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Lake Station
50.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 61.2% across Indiana. Among those 65 and older, 23% have lost all their teeth (Indiana 15.4%). Checkups ↓
Lake Station is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Lake Station is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on self-rated health, physical distress, mental distress and smoking. 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 Lake Station’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Lake Station’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Station is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #542 of 589 in Indiana. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 19% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Lake Station’s median household income is $59,591; among the 8,796 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 12%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Lake Station compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14% of Lake Station adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake Station adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
Out of every 100 Lake Station adults…
Lake Station runs below IN on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Lake Station residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Lake Station
1 community health center in Lake Station, 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 Lake Station; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
3.2 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How Lake Station adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Lake Station runs above Indiana.
1 in 3 Lake Station 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.
Lake Station and the towns around it
Lake Station’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Station | D | 40.5% | 14.5% | 21% | CDC place |
| Hobart | C+ | 38% | 13.1% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| Gary | D− | 51.9% | 25% | 25.6% | CDC place |
| New Chicago | D− | 41.7% | 15.1% | 23.5% | CDC place |
| Hobart Township | C− | 39.3% | 14% | 18.9% | ZIP codes |
| Calumet Township | D− | 49.5% | 22.9% | 24.7% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake Station adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake Station
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake Station is better than Indiana on 2 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Lake Station’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake Station | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.8%24.3–29.4 | 20.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.1–18.5 | 13.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.5–21.3 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%36.6–44.5 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.5%13–16.1 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.1%33.5–38.8 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%32.1–37.4 | 37.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 26.9%24.7–29.2 | 28.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.4–12.9 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.7 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23%20–26.1 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21%18.7–23.4 | 15.7% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.9%27.7–34 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15.9–21.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.2%39.9–46.5 | 37.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.6%12.6–16.7 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%73.2–78.9 | 79.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.1%47.4–52.9 | 61.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%81.1–84.9 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.9–78 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62%58.3–65.4 | 66.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%70.3–79.8 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%20.2–25.3 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%30.1–37 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.4%24.4–30.6 | 23.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.4%20.8–26.2 | 14.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.1%14.2–18.2 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12%10.5–13.5 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14%12.1–16 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.3%31.2–37.4 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.6%14.9–18.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%16.4–19.9 | 15% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.3–7.6 | 5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%9–11.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.5–5.4 | 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 Lake Station
Is Lake Station a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Station is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health, #542 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 12%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lake Station?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.6% and 44.5%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake Station?
St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, 4.4 miles in a straight line from Lake Station’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake Station have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.6–16.7%), 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 Lake Station 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 Lake Station.
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.