On CDC estimates, Sterling Township is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Sterling Township differs from Indiana on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 47118, 47140. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sterling Township
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Sterling Township
1 in 7 adults have COPD (14.1%), vs 8.1% across Indiana. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (10.7%), vs 6.8% across Indiana. Stroke is also above the state: 5.3%, vs 3.5% across Indiana. In all, Sterling Township runs above Indiana on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Sterling Township is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Sterling Township is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
Smoking is more common in Sterling Township
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (24%), vs 15.7% across Indiana. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Sterling Township, and more people treating it
45.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Indiana 37.8%), but 81% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Sterling Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sterling Township is healthier than 4%. Against the 2,752 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 19%. Health Grade ↓
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 Sterling Township’s likely range; Sterling Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 47118, 47140, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Sterling Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling Township is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. All seven of Sterling Township’s estimates fall in the lowest 14% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 24% of adults, against 15.7% across Indiana and 11.8% nationally.
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). Sterling Township’s median household income is $41,250; among the 2,752 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 19%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Sterling Township compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Sterling Township adults…
Sterling Township runs above IN on 9 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.
9.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Sterling Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
Care in and near Sterling Township
1 community health center in Sterling Township, 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 Sterling Township; ≈ 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).
How Sterling Township adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
1 in 3 Sterling Township 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.
14.8% of Sterling Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Sterling Township and the towns around it
Sterling Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Township | D− | 43.5% | 18% | 24% | ZIP codes |
| Patoka Township | D | 43.5% | 18% | 22.7% | ZIP codes |
| Union Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Liberty Township | D | 41.9% | 14.9% | 21.7% | ZIP codes |
| Ohio Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Jennings Township | D− | 44.1% | 18.4% | 24.5% | ZIP codes |
| Whiskey Run Township | D | 42.7% | 16.3% | 22.6% | ZIP codes |
| Greenfield Township | — | — | — | — |
Union Township, Ohio Township and Greenfield Township: 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 Sterling Township adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sterling Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sterling Township is better than Indiana on 1 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Sterling Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sterling Township | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.1%26–32.4 | 20.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%17–21 | 13.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.6–21.6 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.5%36.3–51.1 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18%16.1–20.2 | 13% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.9%42.2–49.8 | 37.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.9%40.1–48 | 37.8% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 36.8%33.7–40.2 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.8–13.3 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.2–10.9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.7%9.7–11.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14.1%12.7–15.8 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.6%18.6–24.8 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24%21.1–27 | 15.7% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.1%28.8–38 | 24.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.1–16.9 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.1%32–44.3 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.5–12.2 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%77.6–83.4 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54%50.6–57.3 | 61.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.6%82.9–86.4 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%78.9–83.3 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%59.5–68.4 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%65.1–78.4 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.2%24–30.8 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.7%27.4–36.4 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%20.1–26.5 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.2%17.3–23.3 | 14.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%11.3–15.2 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.8%9.5–12.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.8–11.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.8%12.6–17.3 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.2%35.9–44.5 | 31.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.6%19.2–24.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%16.8–20.8 | 15% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.6%9.6–11.7 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.6–13.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 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 Sterling Township
Is Sterling Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling Township is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 19%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sterling Township?
CDC estimates 43.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.3% and 51.1%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sterling Township?
Indiana University Health Paoli Hospital in Paoli, 16.0 miles in a straight line from Sterling Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sterling Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.5–12.2%), 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 Sterling Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sterling Township.
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.