Photo: Tracey Elizabeth · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Helena is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Helena beats Montana on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Helena. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Helena
Fewer Helena adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Montana. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Helena is an active town
Only 17.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 20.6% across Montana. The town has 75 miles of trails across 44 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Helena
Helena runs below Montana on COPD (5.8% vs 7%) and heart disease (5.6% vs 6.6%). Conditions ↓
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 Helena’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Helena’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Helena is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, #8 of 41 in Montana. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 56%.
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’s median household income is $71,036; among the 10,596 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.3% of Helena adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
75 miles of trails across 44 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Helena adults…
Helena runs below MT on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Helena
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Helena, 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 Helena; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Helena adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
How Helena adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Helena 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.
Helena and the towns around it
Helena’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 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 | A− | 29.9% | 8.6% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Helena Valley West Central | A− | 31.6% | 9.5% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| Helena West Side | A | 29.5% | 8.2% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| 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 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Helena adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Helena
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Helena is better than Montana on 13 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Helena’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Helena | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.4%13.5–17.5 | 18.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.3–14.3 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.9–18.7 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.9%25.6–34.5 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29%26.1–32 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.5%29.3–35.7 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.8–32.1 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.1–12.7 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.6%7.8–11.7 | 12.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%9.3–12.6 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.3%14.6–20.1 | 20.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.8%17–22.9 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.6%24.6–32.7 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6.5–8.9 | 9.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.4%71–77.4 | 72.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.4%64.4–70.4 | 63.3% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%82–85.6 | 82.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%70.7–76.6 | 73.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.8–70.7 | 63.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.6%71.3–83 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%23–29.4 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%25.9–33 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.2%16.6–21.8 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 11.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.3%6.3–8.4 | 9.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.6–6.1 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 8.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.8%25.5–32.2 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10.2–13.2 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13%11.4–14.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.5 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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
Is Helena a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Helena is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #8 of 41 in Montana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Helena?
CDC estimates 29.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.6% and 34.5%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Helena?
St. Peters Health in Helena, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Helena’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Helena have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–8.9%), 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 Helena more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Helena.
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.