Spencer Public Library · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Spencer is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Spencer differs from Indiana on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Spencer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Spencer
Spencer is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Spencer is healthier than 16%. Against the 5,170 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 44%. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Spencer
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.2%), vs 8.1% across Indiana. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.2%), vs 6.8% across Indiana. Stroke is also above the state: 4.6%, vs 3.5% across Indiana. In all, Spencer runs above Indiana on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Indiana 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Spencer has a community health center but no hospital
Ihc-Owen County is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital in Bloomington, 15.2 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 Spencer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Spencer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spencer is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 29% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Spencer’s median household income is $48,378; among the 5,170 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Spencer compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Spencer adults…
Spencer runs above IN on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Spencer is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Spencer as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Spencer
1 community health center in Spencer, 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 Spencer; ≈ 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.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Spencer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Spencer adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Spencer 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.
9.9% of Spencer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Spencer and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer | C− | 41.1% | 14.9% | 17.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Spencer adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Spencer
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Spencer is better than Indiana on 1 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Spencer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Spencer | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%20.2–28.6 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14–18.9 | 13.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%15.9–20.7 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.1%33.2–49.6 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.9%12.8–17.1 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 42%37.7–46.4 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.7%37.2–46.1 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.2%31.6–38.8 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.3 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.2%8–10.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.2%9.3–13.3 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4–5.4 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25.4%21–30.2 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.6%14.5–21 | 15.7% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.7%23.5–34.3 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12–17.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5%29.1–42.5 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%6.5–11.5 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.9%77.5–83.9 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.7%53.9–61.5 | 61.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.2–87.6 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.5%78–82.7 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.3%61–71.4 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.8%63.1–79.5 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.2%23.4–31.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%27.2–38.1 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%18.9–27 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.3%11.9–19.2 | 14.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.7%8.6–12.9 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%6.9–9.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%6.7–9.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.9%7.5–12.6 | 8.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.9%32.6–43.4 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19%15.8–22.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.7%14.3–19.5 | 15% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.5–11.2 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.1–7.2 | 5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%8.5–12.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%3.9–5.6 | 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 Spencer
Is Spencer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spencer is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Spencer?
CDC estimates 41.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.2% and 49.6%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Spencer?
Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital in Bloomington, 15.2 miles in a straight line from Spencer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Spencer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–11.5%), 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 Spencer 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 Spencer.
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.