Photo: Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Portage is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns
Portage trails Indiana on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Portage. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portage
More Portage adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.6%), vs 24.9% across Indiana. There are 27 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Health varies a lot right around Portage
Grades next door run from Ogden Dunes (A−) to Calumet Township (D−). Portage is a C−. Around town ↓
Portage has a community health center but no hospital
Marram Health Center Portage is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, 6.6 miles away. 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 Portage’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Portage’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portage is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns, #404 of 589 in Indiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 38% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Portage’s median household income is $76,276; among the 10,821 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 14%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
27 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Portage and the towns around it
Portage’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage | C− | 42.6% | 13.8% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| Burns Harbor | B− | 40.9% | 11.1% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Portage Township | C | 41.7% | 13.7% | 16.7% | ZIP codes |
| Ogden Dunes | A− | 35.7% | 12.8% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Westchester Township | B− | 39.5% | 12.2% | 14.4% | ZIP 46304 |
| Calumet Township | D− | 49.5% | 22.9% | 24.7% | ZIP codes |
| Gary | D− | 51.9% | 25% | 25.6% | CDC place |
| Chesterton | B− | 39.5% | 12.3% | 14.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Portage
2 community health centers in Portage, 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 Portage; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Portage adults…
On every condition, Portage is about the same as Indiana. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Portage adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Portage adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Portage 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.
9.8% of Portage adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Portage adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Portage
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portage is better than Indiana on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Portage’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portage | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.5%20.1–25 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.3–16.6 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.5–20.4 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.6%37.3–48.2 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.1–15.4 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.5%36.1–43.1 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.1–42.2 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.8%26.1–31.7 | 28.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.4–13 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.2–7.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.8 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%13.9–20.1 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%14.9–19.3 | 15.7% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.6%26–33.4 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.8–18 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.9%34.9–44.9 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%9.4–12.2 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.9–82 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.7%55.3–62.1 | 61.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.7–87.1 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%72.6–78.1 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.7%58.1–67.1 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.2%66.1–79.6 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%21.1–27.3 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.1%29.2–37.3 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.5–27.7 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%15.1–19.6 | 14.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.6%8.5–10.9 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.7–9.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8%8.5–11.2 | 8.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.5%29.1–36.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.4–16.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%14.2–17.6 | 15% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5.1–6 | 5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 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 Portage
Is Portage a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portage is healthier than 21% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #404 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 14%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portage?
CDC estimates 42.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.3% and 48.2%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portage?
St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, 6.6 miles in a straight line from Portage’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Portage have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–12.2%), 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 Portage 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 Portage.
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.