Photo: I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license: · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Shelby is healthier than 56%
Shelby differs from Montana on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shelby. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shelby
Making ends meet is harder in Shelby
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.1%), vs 11.7% across Montana. Utility shut-off threats (9.4% vs 6.5%) and housing insecurity (13% vs 9.1%) are higher too. 12.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Shelby is behind on routine checkups
It trails Montana on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (67.2% vs 72.4%), dentist visits (57.2% vs 63.3%), cholesterol checks (77.9% vs 82.5%) and colon screening (58% vs 63.8%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Shelby
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (20.2%), vs 13.6% across Montana. Habits ↓
Shelby is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Shelby is healthier than 34%. Against the 8,496 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 56%. 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 Shelby’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Shelby’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shelby is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns, #35 of 41 in Montana. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 67% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Shelby’s median household income is $58,413; among the 8,496 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 56%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Montana towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Shelby is healthier than 15% of graded towns, against 34% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.9% of Shelby adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shelby adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Shelby adults…
Shelby runs below MT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Shelby
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Shelby, 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 Shelby; ≈ 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 Shelby adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Shelby runs above Montana.
1 in 3 Shelby 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.
Shelby and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | C | 35.5% | 11% | 20.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shelby adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shelby
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shelby is better than Montana on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Shelby’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shelby | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.5%19.2–26.1 | 18.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.3–17.7 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.4–21.1 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%28.2–43.1 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11%9.3–12.7 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%29.2–37.5 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.5%28.6–36.6 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.1%23.8–30.3 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.1–8.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.1–8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%6.8–9.5 | 7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.5%11–16.3 | 12.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.2%17–23.6 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%21.7–31.3 | 20.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 22%18.3–25.8 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.5%25.6–37.7 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.7%11.3–16.4 | 9.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.2%62.7–71.4 | 72.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.2%53.5–60.8 | 63.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.9%75.2–80.6 | 82.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%66.2–73 | 73.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58%52.4–63.1 | 63.8% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.1%61–77.8 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.2–26.3 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.9%27.2–37.1 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%22–29.8 | 21.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.1%14–20.3 | 11.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13%10.9–15.3 | 9.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8–10.9 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.1%8.7–11.7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.9%10.4–15.6 | 8.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%29.7–39.5 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%12.4–17.2 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%14.7–19.4 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 8.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.1–10.8 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.7–5 | 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 Shelby
Is Shelby a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shelby is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #35 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 Shelby?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 43.1%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shelby?
Logan Health - Shelby in Shelby, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Shelby’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Shelby have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–16.4%), 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 Shelby 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 Shelby.
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.