Thomas A. Hendricks House and Stone Head Road Marker · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Van Buren Township is healthier than 28%
Van Buren Township differs from Indiana on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 47448, 47201, 47235, 47274. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Van Buren Township
Van Buren Township trails towns with similar incomes
Van Buren Township is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns, and only 28% of the 9,488 towns with similar household incomes ($70K–$117K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Van Buren Township is short on primary care and mental health care
Van Buren Township’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 ↓
Cancer runs high in Van Buren Township
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 8.3% across Indiana. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Indiana 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Van Buren Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Indiana. 1 in 8 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 Van Buren Township’s likely range; Van Buren Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 47448, 47201, 47235, 47274, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Van Buren Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Buren Township is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 60% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 29%).
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). Van Buren Township’s median household income is $93,664; among the 9,488 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($70K–$117K), it’s healthier than 28%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Van Buren Township compares well: worried about having enough food, 12.2% (U.S. 15%); worried about keeping housing, 9.2% (U.S. 12%); lack reliable transportation, 6.5% (U.S. 7.9%).
Care in and near Van Buren Township
No hospital or community health center in Van Buren Township 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 Van Buren 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).
Out of every 100 Van Buren Township adults…
Van Buren Township runs above IN on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Van Buren Township is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Indiana. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Van Buren Township as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.1% of Van Buren Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
97 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Van Buren Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How Van Buren Township adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
3 in 10 Van Buren 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.
Van Buren Township and the towns around it
Van Buren Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren Township | B− | 37.4% | 13.5% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
| Washington Township | B− | 35.7% | 14.6% | 15.2% | ZIP codes |
| Salt Creek Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Jackson Township | C+ | 39.7% | 12.5% | 16.5% | ZIP codes |
| Pershing Township | C+ | 38.9% | 13% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Ohio Township | B− | 39.1% | 12% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
Salt Creek 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 Van Buren Township adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Van Buren Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Van Buren Township is better than Indiana on 5 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside Van Buren Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Van Buren Township | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.5–22.7 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.5–15.8 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.8–18.4 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%30.6–44.6 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.8–15.2 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.9%35.9–43.9 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.4%36.4–44.6 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.7%28.5–34.9 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.3 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.1–10.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.6%7.7–9.7 | 8.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.5%11.2–16.1 | 15.4% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%13.4–17.9 | 15.7% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%20.7–28.6 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.8–18.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%28.7–40.2 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.5–8.9 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%78.3–84.2 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.8%59.4–66.1 | 61.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%86.3–89.3 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%77.2–82.2 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70%65.7–74.2 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%70.4–83 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.4–28.3 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%26.1–35.4 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%18.8–25.2 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.2%10.3–14.2 | 14.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.9–10.7 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%6–8.3 | 8.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.7%26.9–34.8 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%13–16.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.3–15.5 | 15% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.1 | 5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.9–8.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–4 | 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 Van Buren Township
Is Van Buren Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Buren Township is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Van Buren Township?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 44.6%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Van Buren Township?
Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, 17.0 miles in a straight line from Van Buren Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Van Buren Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–8.9%), 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 Van Buren Township 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 Van Buren 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.