Within Montana, Helena Valley Southeast is healthier than 30% of graded towns
On every measure CDC estimates, Helena Valley Southeast looks like Montana as a whole.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Helena Valley Southeast. How CDC estimates town health
What’s behind Helena Valley Southeast’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Helena Valley Southeast is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #29 of 41 in Montana. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 78% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Helena Valley Southeast’s median household income is $74,075; among the 10,834 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 60%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Helena Valley Southeast adults…
On every condition, Helena Valley Southeast is about the same as Montana. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Helena Valley Southeast
No hospital or community health center in Helena Valley Southeast itself. These are the nearest.
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 Helena Valley Southeast; ≈ 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.
9.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Helena Valley Southeast adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
How Helena Valley Southeast adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Helena Valley Southeast 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% of Helena Valley Southeast adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Helena Valley Southeast and the towns around it
Helena Valley Southeast’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Valley Southeast | B− | 34.1% | 10.2% | 15.8% | CDC place |
| East Helena | B | 33.2% | 9.6% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Helena Valley Northeast | B | 33.2% | 11.1% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Helena | A− | 29.9% | 8.6% | 10.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Helena Valley Southeast adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Helena Valley Southeast
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Helena Valley Southeast is better than Montana on 0 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Helena Valley Southeast’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Helena Valley Southeast | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.6%17.1–22.4 | 18.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17.3 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.8–21.1 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.1%29.4–39.1 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.2%28.1–34.5 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%30.1–36.7 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.1%28.3–34.1 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.7–13.6 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.7%10.4–15.1 | 12.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.8%13.3–18.5 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21%17.8–24.5 | 20.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.8%16.8–22.9 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.5%27.1–35.9 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%7.5–11.5 | 9.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%69.6–76.5 | 72.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.2%58.9–65.5 | 63.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.5%80.1–84.6 | 82.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.4%69–75.6 | 73.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.3%58.7–67.4 | 63.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%71–82.7 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.7%24.5–31.2 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%26.8–34.1 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18.4–24.3 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%10.9–15.8 | 11.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.3–11.7 | 9.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.3–8.6 | 6.5% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7–9.4 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8–12.1 | 8.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%28.6–36.2 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12.2–16 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%13.6–17.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.9 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.4–9.6 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 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 Helena Valley Southeast
Is Helena Valley Southeast a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Helena Valley Southeast is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #29 of 41 in Montana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 60%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Helena Valley Southeast?
CDC estimates 34.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 39.1%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Helena Valley Southeast?
St. Peters Health in Helena, 5.3 miles in a straight line from Helena Valley Southeast’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Helena Valley Southeast have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–11.5%), 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 Helena Valley Southeast 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 Helena Valley Southeast.
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.