Photo: Mitchell O'Brien · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Montana, Columbia Falls is healthier than 38% of graded towns
Columbia Falls trails Montana on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Columbia Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Columbia Falls
What’s behind Columbia Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia Falls is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns, #26 of 41 in Montana. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 84% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 38%).
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). Columbia Falls’ median household income is $75,766; among the 10,844 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Columbia Falls
1 community health center in Columbia Falls, 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 Columbia Falls; ≈ 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 Columbia Falls adults…
Columbia Falls runs above MT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Columbia Falls residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Montana. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
3.3 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Columbia Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
How Columbia Falls adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Columbia Falls 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.
10.1% of Columbia Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Columbia Falls and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Falls | B | 32.5% | 9.7% | 14.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Columbia Falls adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Columbia Falls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Columbia Falls is better than Montana on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Columbia Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Columbia Falls | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.5%17.4–23.9 | 18.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%12.9–17 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.4–19.9 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.5%28.1–36.9 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.4–11.2 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31%28.1–34.1 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.1%29.1–35.2 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.5%25.8–31.2 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.7 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.4–10.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.1–7.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%6.7–9.5 | 7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4.3 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.8%14.8–21.2 | 12.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%12–17.9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.7%18.1–25.6 | 20.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.2%17.6–23 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.8%27.8–36 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%8.4–13.4 | 9.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.5%66.1–72.6 | 72.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.3%60.1–66.4 | 63.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%77.8–82.8 | 82.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.3%69.2–75.1 | 73.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.9%55.7–64.1 | 63.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.4%66.9–79.5 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%22.2–28.5 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%26.6–34.4 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%18.9–25.5 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%10.5–16.4 | 11.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.6%8.6–12.7 | 9.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.2–9 | 6.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.1–9.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.1%7.7–12.8 | 8.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.4%29.4–37.6 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.7–16.2 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%13.4–17.9 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8.1–10.3 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.7–10.5 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.4–4.7 | 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 Columbia Falls
Is Columbia Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia Falls is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #26 of 41 in Montana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Columbia Falls?
CDC estimates 32.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.1% and 36.9%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Columbia Falls?
Logan Health - Whitefish in Whitefish, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Columbia Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Columbia Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–13.4%), 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 Columbia Falls 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 Columbia Falls.
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.