Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Big Timber is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Big Timber differs from Montana on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Timber. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Timber
Cancer runs high in Big Timber
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 9.3% across Montana. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Montana 20%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Big Timber is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Big Timber is healthier than 71%. Against the 10,183 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 90%. 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 Montana figure falls outside Big Timber’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Big Timber’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Timber is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 85% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). Big Timber’s median household income is $66,898; among the 10,183 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Big Timber adults…
Big Timber runs above MT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Big Timber is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Montana. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Big Timber as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Big Timber
1 hospital in Big Timber, 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 Big Timber; ≈ 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 Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Timber adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
How Big Timber adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Big Timber 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.
6.8% of Big Timber adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Big Timber and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Timber | B+ | 29.5% | 10.6% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Timber adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Timber
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Big Timber is better than Montana on 3 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Big Timber’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Big Timber | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%14.9–21 | 18.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.5–16.5 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–18.3 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.5%22.7–37.6 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9–12.3 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.3%31.1–39.8 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%30.7–39.4 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32%28.4–35.7 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10–12.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%6.6–8.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.7%6.4–9 | 7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12%9.6–14.8 | 12.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.5–15.9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22%17.9–26.7 | 20.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15.3–21.9 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.2%24.9–38 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%6.8–10.9 | 9.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.4%69.3–77.3 | 72.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.8%61.2–68.4 | 63.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.1%82.7–87.2 | 82.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.2%73.8–80.2 | 73.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%59.9–70.2 | 63.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%70.6–84.4 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%19.7–26.9 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%24.7–34.5 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18–25 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%7.9–12.2 | 11.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.6–9.6 | 9.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.7–6.7 | 6.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.4–7.4 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.4–8.6 | 8.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8%28.2–37.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.1–16.9 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.6–15.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.7–11.2 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.9–5.3 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%6.7–9.2 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.1–4.2 | 3.5% | 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 Montana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Big Timber
Is Big Timber a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Timber is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Big Timber?
CDC estimates 29.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.7% and 37.6%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Timber?
Pioneer Medical Center in Big Timber, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Big Timber’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Big Timber have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.9%), against 9.3% across Montana.
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 Big Timber 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 Big Timber.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Montana 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.