Within Indiana, Santa Claus is healthier than 80% of graded towns
Santa Claus differs from Indiana on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Santa Claus. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Santa Claus
Santa Claus looks healthier next to Indiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 80% of the 589 Indiana towns we grade, but 56% of towns nationwide. Much of Indiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Santa Claus is short on primary care and mental health care
Santa Claus’ 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 ↓
Cancer runs high in Santa Claus
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 8.3% across Indiana. Conditions ↓
Fewer Santa Claus adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Indiana. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Santa Claus is insured
Only 6% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.9% across Indiana. Checkups ↓
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 Santa Claus’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Santa Claus’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Claus is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns, #122 of 589 in Indiana. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 74% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 27%).
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). Santa Claus’ median household income is $89,659; among the 9,978 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Santa Claus
No hospital or community health center in Santa Claus 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 Santa Claus; ≈ 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 Santa Claus adults…
Santa Claus runs below IN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.4% of Santa Claus adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Keeping up with care
Share of Santa Claus adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Santa Claus adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
3 in 10 Santa Claus 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.
Santa Claus and the towns around it
Santa Claus’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Claus | B | 39.2% | 12.6% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Harrison Township | B | 38.3% | 12.6% | 14.6% | ZIP codes |
| Clay Township | B− | 40% | 13.1% | 16% | ZIP codes |
| Carter Township | C+ | 39.2% | 13.3% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Santa Claus adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Santa Claus
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Santa Claus is better than Indiana on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Santa Claus’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Santa Claus | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.8%15–21 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.5–15.5 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.3–18.6 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.2%31.2–48.1 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.7–14.6 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.7%35.2–44.3 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%36.2–45.3 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.2%27.5–34.9 | 28.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.4 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9–11 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6–8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.6–14.5 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%11.8–17.5 | 15.7% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.9%17.6–26.5 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.1–19.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%27.9–41.4 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%4.7–7.6 | 8.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.4%78.2–84.4 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.9%59.2–66.6 | 61.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.1–90.4 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.3%76.3–81.8 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.9%63–72.7 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%69.5–83.6 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.9%22.2–29.9 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%25.6–35.4 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.1–23.9 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.8%7.8–12.2 | 14.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.1%6.7–9.9 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.2–7.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.7–6.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.4%4.2–6.8 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.4%25–34.1 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.4%11.2–15.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11.1–14.9 | 15% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.4–8.4 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.4–4.6 | 5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6–8.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.8 | 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 Santa Claus
Is Santa Claus a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Claus is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #122 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Santa Claus?
CDC estimates 39.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 48.1%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Santa Claus?
Perry County Memorial Hospital in Tell City, 14.7 miles in a straight line from Santa Claus’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Santa Claus have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7.6%), 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 Santa Claus 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 Santa Claus.
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.