Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Libby is healthier than 72%
Libby differs from Montana on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Libby. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Libby
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Libby
1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.9%), vs 7% across Montana. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.4%), vs 6.6% across Montana. Stroke is also above the state: 5.5%, vs 3.5% across Montana. In all, Libby runs above Montana on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (Montana 20%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Libby adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.2%), vs 20.6% across Montana. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Libby
53.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.3% across Montana. Among those 65 and older, 22.7% have lost all their teeth (Montana 12.3%). Checkups ↓
Libby is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Libby is healthier than 13%. Against the 1,119 towns with similar household incomes ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 72%. 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 Libby’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Libby’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Libby is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns, #38 of 41 in Montana. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 26% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Libby’s median household income is $34,143; among the 1,119 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 72%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Libby adults…
Libby runs above MT on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Libby is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Montana. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Libby as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
1.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Libby adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
Care in and near Libby
1 community health center in Libby, 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 Libby; ≈ 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).
How Libby adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Libby 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.
15.1% of Libby adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Libby and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libby | D | 39.5% | 14.7% | 18.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Libby adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Libby
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Libby is better than Montana on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Libby’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Libby | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.9%22.2–29.7 | 18.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.4–21.1 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.5–20.8 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.5%33.1–46.1 | 31.4% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.6–16.8 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.7%38.6–46.7 | 31.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.7%33.8–41.7 | 32.8% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.2%34.6–41.7 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.6–13.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.1–12.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.4%9.1–11.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.9%10.1–13.8 | 7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.7%18.7–26.8 | 12.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.7%15.4–21.9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%24.4–34.3 | 20.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.5–20.5 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.1%30.4–41.8 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.7%9.4–14.4 | 9.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75%71.3–78.4 | 72.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.5%49.5–57.2 | 63.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%79.9–84.6 | 82.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.6–80.4 | 73.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.6%58.5–68.3 | 63.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 66.7%58.1–74.2 | 74.8% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.6–29.7 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.7%23.4–32.4 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%17.9–25.1 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%13.7–20.3 | 11.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%9.7–13.8 | 9.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%7.8–10.8 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.9%8.5–11.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.1%12.2–18.4 | 8.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.5%34.8–44.1 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.4%17.4–23.4 | 12.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.3–19.8 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.5%11–13.9 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.3–8.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.2–13.4 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.9%5.1–6.9 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Libby
Is Libby a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Libby is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health, #38 of 41 in Montana. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Libby?
CDC estimates 39.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.1% and 46.1%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Libby?
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center in Libby, 13.4 miles in a straight line from Libby’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Libby have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–14.4%), 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 Libby more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Libby.
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.