Photo: Montanabw · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Columbus is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Columbus differs from Montana on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Columbus. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Columbus
Columbus is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Columbus’ county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Columbus is an older town
27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Montana. Conditions like heart disease and arthritis become more common with age, so keep that in mind when comparing Columbus with the state. Conditions ↓
Columbus is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Columbus is healthier than 76%. Against the 9,976 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 94%. 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 Columbus’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Columbus’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbus is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 85% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 54%.
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). Columbus’ median household income is $65,250; among the 9,976 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 94%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Columbus
1 hospital in Columbus, 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 Columbus; ≈ 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 Columbus adults…
Columbus runs below MT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Columbus is an older town: 27% 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 Columbus as about how healthy they are.
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 Columbus adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
How Columbus adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Columbus 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.
6.4% of Columbus adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Columbus and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | A− | 29.6% | 10.2% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Columbus adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Columbus
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Columbus is better than Montana on 4 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Columbus’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Columbus | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.5%14.4–20.9 | 18.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%11.8–16.2 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.7–18.2 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%22.9–36.7 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.6–11.9 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.9%29.7–38.1 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%30.7–39.1 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.3%27.7–35 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6–8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%5.9–8.7 | 7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.9%7.9–12.2 | 12.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%10.2–15.9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21%16.7–25.6 | 20.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.6–22.1 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7%26–37.9 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.8%6.6–11.2 | 9.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.3%69.4–77 | 72.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.2%65.8–72.4 | 63.3% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.9%82.5–87 | 82.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.1–78.6 | 73.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%58.7–69.1 | 63.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.3%64–79.5 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%19.5–26.7 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.5%23.5–33.5 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.2%17.5–25 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.6%7.2–12.2 | 11.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.1–9.6 | 9.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.3–6.3 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%5–7.4 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.4%4.7–8.3 | 8.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.1%25.5–35.2 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.3%10.9–16 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%11.3–15.8 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%7.8–10.3 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.6–5 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.3–9 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%2.9–4 | 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 Columbus
Is Columbus a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbus is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Columbus?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.9% and 36.7%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Columbus?
Stillwater Billings Clinic in Columbus, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Columbus’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Columbus have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–11.2%), 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 Columbus 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 Columbus.
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.