Ramsay-Fox Round Barn and Farm · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, West Township is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns
West Township trails Indiana on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 46563, 46511. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Township
West Township trails towns with similar incomes
West Township is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, and only 7% of the 10,076 towns with similar household incomes ($67K–$111K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease runs high in West Township
1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.9%), vs 6.8% across Indiana. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Indiana 17%), and heart disease is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
West Township has a community health center but no hospital
Bowen Health is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center - Plymouth in Plymouth, 4.3 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 West Township’s likely range; West Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 46563, 46511, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind West Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Township is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, #398 of 589 in Indiana. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 37% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). West Township’s median household income is $88,935; among the 10,076 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$111K), it’s healthier than 7%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 West Township adults…
West Township runs above IN on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
West Township is an older town: 27% 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 West Township as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near West Township
1 community health center in West 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 West 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Indiana
Share of adults, with the Indiana figure marked.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
How West Township adults are doing
About the same as Indiana on each measure.
1 in 3 West 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.
8.6% of West Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
West Township and the towns around it
West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Township | C− | 43.2% | 14.1% | 17.1% | ZIP codes |
| Polk Township | C | 39.7% | 13.2% | 16.5% | ZIP codes |
| Union Township | C− | 42.8% | 15.6% | 17% | ZIP codes |
| Center Township | C− | 43.4% | 13.9% | 17.5% | ZIP codes |
| Oregon Township | C | 40.1% | 13.7% | 18.1% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Township adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Township is better than Indiana on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Indiana figure falls inside West Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Township | IN | U.S. | vs IN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%20.1–25.4 | 20.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.6–17.1 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.9–19.7 | 17.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.2%36.4–50.2 | 38.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.4–16 | 13% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.5%36.7–44.5 | 37.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.5%37.6–45.7 | 37.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%28.4–34.7 | 28.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.5 | 11.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.6–10.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.3%8.4–10.5 | 8.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.8%15.7–22.2 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%15–19.5 | 15.7% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.6%24.6–33.1 | 24.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.1–18.6 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%31.6–44.4 | 37.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.8–11.7 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.9–82.2 | 79.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.4%54.7–61.9 | 61.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84.5–87.7 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.3–82.2 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%60.7–70.3 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%63.9–79.5 | 76.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%22.3–29.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%28–37.5 | 32.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%20.1–26.7 | 23.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.9%12.8–17.2 | 14.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.4–12.7 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.9–9.1 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%7.3–10 | 8.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.3%29.4–37.5 | 31.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%14.3–18.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%14–17.4 | 15% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5–6 | 5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 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 West Township
Is West Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Township is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #398 of 589 in Indiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 7%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Township?
CDC estimates 43.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.4% and 50.2%, against 38.4% across Indiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Township?
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center - Plymouth in Plymouth, 4.3 miles in a straight line from West Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.8–11.7%), 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 West Township 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 West 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.