Photo: ONUnicorn · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Indiana, Lawrence is healthier than 75% of graded towns
Lawrence differs from Indiana on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lawrence. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lawrence
Lawrence looks healthier next to Indiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 75% of the 589 Indiana towns we grade, but 53% of towns nationwide. Much of Indiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lawrence
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.9%), vs 14.7% across Indiana. Utility shut-off threats (10.9% vs 8.4%) and housing insecurity (14.3% vs 11.2%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Heart disease and cancer are less common in Lawrence
Lawrence runs below Indiana on heart disease (5.5% vs 6.8%), cancer (6.8% vs 8.3%) and COPD (6.7% vs 8.1%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Indiana 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Lawrence’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Lawrence’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawrence is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #146 of 589 in Indiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 68% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Lawrence’s median household income is $74,022; among the 10,836 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 62%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.1% of Lawrence adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Out of every 100 Lawrence adults…
Lawrence runs below IN on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Lawrence residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Lawrence
No hospital or community health center in Lawrence 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 Lawrence; ≈ 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.
22 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Lawrence adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Lawrence adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Lawrence 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.
Lawrence and the towns around it
Lawrence’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | B− | 38.1% | 12.6% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Indianapolis | — | — | — | — | |
| Buck Creek Township | B+ | 39.6% | 11.2% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
| Lawrence Township | B | 37.7% | 13.1% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
Indianapolis: no CDC estimate of its own. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lawrence adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lawrence
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lawrence is better than Indiana on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Lawrence’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lawrence | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%18.3–21.8 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.8–14.3 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15.5–18.7 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%35–41.4 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%11.4–13.8 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%35.4–40 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%33.6–38.3 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.1%23.2–26.9 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.5–12.8 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.2–7.4 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%5.1–6.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.7%6.1–7.4 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.5 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.7%12.7–16.8 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%12.4–15.4 | 15.7% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.2%21.1–25.5 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18%16–20.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.7%36.7–42.5 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%10.1–12.8 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%77.3–81.6 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.2%58.6–63.5 | 61.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%85–87.8 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%73.7–78.1 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%63.6–69.7 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.3%73.8–82.1 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%22.4–26.9 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%32.2–37.7 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%22.5–27.1 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.9%16.3–19.6 | 14.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.3%12.9–15.9 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%9.8–12.4 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.6%26.3–31 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.3%12–14.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%13.1–15.9 | 15% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%5–5.9 | 5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.2 | 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 Lawrence
Is Lawrence a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawrence is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #146 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 62%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lawrence?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 35% and 41.4%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lawrence?
Community Hospital North in Indianapolis, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Lawrence’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lawrence have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.1–12.8%), 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 Lawrence more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lawrence.
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.