Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Portland is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Portland trails Indiana on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Portland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portland
Portland is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Portland is healthier than 12%. Against the 6,312 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 27%. Health Grade ↓
COPD and heart disease run high in Portland
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 8.1% across Indiana. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 6.8% across Indiana. In all, Portland runs above Indiana on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Portland adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (30.5%), vs 24.9% across Indiana. Habits ↓
Portland is short on primary care and mental health care
Portland’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Portland has a five-star hospital
Indiana University Health Jay is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. 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 Portland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Portland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, #511 of 589 in Indiana. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 20% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Portland’s median household income is $51,513; among the 6,312 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 27%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Portland adults…
Portland runs above IN on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
0.7 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Portland
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Portland, 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 Portland; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Portland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Portland adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Portland 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.
10.4% of Portland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Portland and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | D | 43% | 14.6% | 18.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Portland adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Portland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portland is better than Indiana on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Portland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portland | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.4%20.9–27.9 | 20.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.2–18.5 | 13.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.7–21.2 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43%34.6–51.3 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%12.7–16.6 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41%36.7–45.2 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.9%36.3–45.3 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.1%28.6–35.4 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–12.9 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%9–12 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.5%14.3–20.8 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.8%15.8–21.9 | 15.7% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.5%25.4–35.6 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.7–18.6 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.6%30.9–44.6 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.2%9.2–13.5 | 8.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.7–82.5 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.6%53.8–61.1 | 61.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.3–86.6 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.3–81.3 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%60.4–70.4 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.5%63.9–79.8 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.3–29.9 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%27.8–38.2 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%19.5–26.9 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.9%14.1–20 | 14.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%10.3–14.4 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.7–10.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.5–10 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.4%8.5–12.7 | 8.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.7%31.8–41.5 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.8%15.1–20.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.1–19.6 | 15% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%8.7–11.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4–5.3 | 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 Portland
Is Portland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health, #511 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portland?
CDC estimates 43% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.6% and 51.3%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portland?
Indiana University Health Jay in Portland, 0.1 miles in a straight line from Portland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Portland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–13.5%), 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 Portland 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 Portland.
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.