Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Cardington is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns
Cardington trails Ohio on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cardington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cardington
Cardington is short on primary care and mental health care
Cardington’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Smoking is more common in Cardington
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.3%), vs 15.4% across Ohio. Habits ↓
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 Ohio figure falls outside Cardington’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Cardington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cardington is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 49% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Cardington’s median household income is $70,260; among the 10,535 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 20%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Care in and near Cardington
No hospital or community health center in Cardington 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 Cardington; ≈ 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 Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
1.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Cardington adults…
Cardington runs above OH on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Cardington residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Ohio. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Cardington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
How Cardington adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Cardington runs above Ohio.
1 in 3 Cardington 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.
12.5% of Cardington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Cardington and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardington | C− | 40.4% | 12.1% | 19.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cardington adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cardington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cardington is better than Ohio on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Cardington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cardington | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%17.4–24 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.1–17.3 | 13.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%17.9–22.9 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.4%33.2–47.5 | 37.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.4–13.9 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.6–38.2 | 37.2% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%31–38.9 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%25.3–31.6 | 29.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 7.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%2.9–3.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.5%15.8–23.5 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.3%15.9–22.7 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.1%25–35.4 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%14.5–21.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.8%30.6–43.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%6.8–10.9 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%73.7–81.1 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.5%55.7–63.2 | 62.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.1%80.2–85.7 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%73.1–78.9 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%55.6–65.5 | 65.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.4%65.2–80.7 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.4%23.7–31.3 | 25.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.4%29.9–41.1 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%18.5–26 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.6%11.5–18 | 14.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%9.5–14.2 | 11.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%6.9–9.9 | 8.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%6.7–9.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.5%9.7–15.6 | 11.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.6%27–36.4 | 29.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.6–16.2 | 13.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%13.9–18.7 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%7.7–10.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.5 | 3.8% | 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 Ohio figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Cardington
Is Cardington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cardington is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 20%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cardington?
CDC estimates 40.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.2% and 47.5%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cardington?
Ohiohealth Morrow County Hospital in Mount Gilead, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Cardington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Cardington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.9%), against 8% across Ohio.
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 Cardington 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 Cardington.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Ohio 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.