Photo: Ammodramus · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Pender is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns
Pender differs from Nebraska on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pender. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pender
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Pender
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.9%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 3.1% across Nebraska. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.3%, vs 6.1% across Nebraska. In all, Pender runs above Nebraska on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Pender adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.5%), vs 24.3% across Nebraska. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Pender, and more people treating it
42% of adults have high blood pressure (Nebraska 32.6%), but 82.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.5% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Nebraska figure falls outside Pender’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Pender’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pender is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of U.S. towns); obesity 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). Pender’s median household income is $73,125; among the 10,746 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 26%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Pender compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Pender adults…
Pender runs above NE on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska
Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Pender adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
Care in and near Pender
No hospital or community health center in Pender 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 Pender; ≈ 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 Pender adults are doing
About the same as Nebraska on each measure.
3 in 10 Pender 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.
12.4% of Pender adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Pender and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pender | C | 42.7% | 14.2% | 17.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pender adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pender
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pender is better than Nebraska on 1 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Nebraska figure falls inside Pender’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pender | NE | U.S. | vs NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%18.3–25.8 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%12.9–17.1 | 11.6% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.7–16.5 | 14.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%36.5–49.2 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.1–16.3 | 10.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42%38.1–45.9 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%32.7–40.6 | 33% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4%27.1–33.6 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.8–12.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.1–10.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.9%8.1–11.9 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.1–5.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.6%12.9–18.4 | 12.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.3%14.2–20.6 | 13.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.5%26.5–36.9 | 24.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%14.6–20.4 | 19.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%24.6–35.4 | 31.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%7.5–12.5 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.4%75.2–81.6 | 75.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.8%56.1–63.5 | 64.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.8%81.5–86.1 | 83.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.7%80.4–84.8 | 77.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%55.4–65.7 | 62.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.7%63.6–78.3 | 75% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.5%14.9–20.4 | 18.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30%25.3–35.2 | 29.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.5–24.4 | 20.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15%12.1–18.7 | 12.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.1–12 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.4–9.1 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.6–9.3 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.4%9.6–15.7 | 8.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.6%31.9–41.3 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.2%15.3–21.4 | 12% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%11.8–16 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.5%10–13 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.3–7.6 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.3–11.8 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4–5.8 | 3.2% | 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 Nebraska figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Pender
Is Pender a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pender is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 26%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pender?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.5% and 49.2%, against 37.7% across Nebraska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pender?
Pender Community Hospital in Pender, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Pender’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Pender have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–12.5%), against 9.9% across Nebraska.
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 Pender 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 Pender.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Nebraska 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.