Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Indiana, Porter is healthier than 74% of graded towns
Porter beats Indiana on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Porter. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Porter
Porter looks healthier next to Indiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 74% of the 589 Indiana towns we grade, but 51% of towns nationwide. Much of Indiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Porter adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Indiana. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Porter’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Porter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Porter is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #155 of 589 in Indiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 64% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Porter’s median household income is $74,542; among the 10,860 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 58%, 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.
6.2% of Porter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Out of every 100 Porter adults…
Porter runs below IN on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Porter
No hospital or community health center in Porter 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 Porter; ≈ 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.
9.5 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Porter adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Porter adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
3 in 10 Porter 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.
Porter and the towns around it
Porter’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porter | B− | 40.3% | 12.1% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Chesterton | B− | 39.5% | 12.3% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Dune Acres | — | — | — | — | |
| Burns Harbor | B− | 40.9% | 11.1% | 15.6% | CDC place |
Dune Acres: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Porter adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Porter
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Porter is better than Indiana on 8 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Porter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Porter | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.1%15.6–20.8 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.1–19.3 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.3%35–45.9 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.5–13.8 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%34.3–41.3 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%35.1–42.4 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.5%25.8–31.6 | 28.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.6 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.4–9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%6.2–8.3 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.4 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.1%8.2–12.2 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%12.4–17.5 | 15.7% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.2%20.4–28.1 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.8–19.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7%31.9–41.7 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.7–8.3 | 8.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%76.4–82.4 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.1%63.9–70.2 | 61.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.2%85.4–88.8 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.5–78.3 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%61.2–70.1 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.5%67.5–80.8 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%21.5–28.1 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%26.5–34.6 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21%18.1–24.2 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%9.5–13.7 | 14.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%8–11.1 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6–8.1 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.5–7.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.2%5–7.5 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%24.6–32.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.6%10.8–14.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.8–15.5 | 15% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6–8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.7 | 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 Porter
Is Porter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Porter is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #155 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Porter?
CDC estimates 40.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 35% and 45.9%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Porter?
Northwest Health - Porter in Valparaiso, 5.6 miles in a straight line from Porter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Porter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–8.3%), 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 Porter 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 Porter.
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.