Photo: J.B. Chandler · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Benton is healthier than 86%
Fort Benton differs from Montana on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Benton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Benton
Cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease run high in Fort Benton
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.8%), vs 9.3% across Montana. 2 in 5 adults have high blood pressure (38.5%), vs 31.9% across Montana. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.9%, vs 6.6% across Montana. In all, Fort Benton runs above Montana on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (Montana 20%), and cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Fort Benton, and more people treating it
38.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Montana 31.9%), but 78.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fort Benton is short on primary care and mental health care
Fort Benton’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 ↓
Fort Benton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Benton is healthier than 67%. Against the 10,234 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 86%. 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 Fort Benton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Fort Benton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Benton is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). Fort Benton’s median household income is $67,188; among the 10,234 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Fort Benton adults…
Fort Benton runs above MT on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Fort Benton is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Montana. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Fort Benton as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Benton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
Care in and near Fort Benton
1 hospital in Fort Benton, 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 Fort Benton; ≈ 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.
5.8 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
How Fort Benton adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Fort Benton 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 Fort Benton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Fort Benton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Benton | B+ | 32.8% | 11.3% | 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 Fort Benton adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Benton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Benton is better than Montana on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Fort Benton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Benton | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.3%15.1–22 | 18.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.6–17.2 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.4–17.7 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.8%25.9–40.4 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.5–13.4 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.5%33.9–43.2 | 31.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%33.2–42.1 | 32.8% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.6%29.7–37.7 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.5–12.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.8%10.7–13.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.8–9.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.4–9.5 | 7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.5–4.8 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%9.9–14.8 | 12.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.5–16.5 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%17.8–27.6 | 20.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.5–20.6 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7%26.1–37.8 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%6.6–10.4 | 9.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%72.5–79.6 | 72.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.2%61.5–68.7 | 63.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%84.6–88.5 | 82.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.9%75.6–81.9 | 73.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%62.5–72.1 | 63.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%70.7–84.2 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19–26.3 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.8%26.1–36 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%17.6–25 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.5%7.4–12 | 11.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6–9.1 | 9.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.2–6.2 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5–7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.4%4.8–8.2 | 8.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%27.4–37.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.9%12.1–17.8 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%10.9–15 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.6–9.3 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3–4.3 | 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 Fort Benton
Is Fort Benton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Benton is healthier than 67% 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 Fort Benton?
CDC estimates 32.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 40.4%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Benton?
Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Fort Benton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Fort Benton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–10.4%), 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 Fort Benton 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 Fort Benton.
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.