Photo: USDA Forest Service photo by Kyle Brooks · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Nelsonville is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Nelsonville differs from Ohio on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Nelsonville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Nelsonville
Mental distress runs high in Nelsonville
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (23.4%), vs 17.5% across Ohio. Depression is above the state too: 32%, vs 25.4% across Ohio. Mind & connection ↓
Dental care lags in Nelsonville
51.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.9% across Ohio. Among those 65 and older, 23.3% have lost all their teeth (Ohio 15.3%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Nelsonville
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.1%), vs 14.1% across Ohio. No reliable transportation (12% vs 7.7%) and utility shut-off threats (11.5% vs 8.3%) are higher too. 19.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nelsonville is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Nelsonville is healthier than 18%. Against the 5,705 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 44%. 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 Ohio figure falls outside Nelsonville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Nelsonville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nelsonville is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns, #745 of 993 in Ohio. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 44% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Nelsonville’s median household income is $49,750; among the 5,705 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Nelsonville compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
How Nelsonville adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Nelsonville runs above Ohio.
2 in 5 Nelsonville 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Nelsonville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.6% of Nelsonville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Out of every 100 Nelsonville adults…
Nelsonville runs below OH on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Nelsonville residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Ohio. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Nelsonville
1 community health center in Nelsonville, 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 Nelsonville; ≈ 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.
1.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Nelsonville and the towns around it
Nelsonville has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelsonville | C− | 37.9% | 12.5% | 20.3% | CDC place |
| Buchtel | — | — | — | — | |
| Ward Township | D | 38.6% | 14.9% | 21.8% | ZIP codes |
| York Township | D | 38.6% | 14.4% | 21.4% | ZIP codes |
Buchtel: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Nelsonville adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Nelsonville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nelsonville is better than Ohio on 2 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Nelsonville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Nelsonville | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%21–27.7 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.7–17.6 | 13.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23.4%20.9–26.1 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%32.9–43 | 37.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%11–14.1 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%32–38.4 | 37.2% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%30.4–36.7 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.9%23.5–28.4 | 29.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.3%10.9–13.7 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.2–7.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.3%19.4–27.4 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.3%17.5–23.2 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.8%25.6–34.2 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.3%17.3–23.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.2%36.2–46.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11%8.5–13.9 | 8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.8%71.4–78.1 | 79.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.1%47.5–54.6 | 62.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76.6%73.3–79.5 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.7%68.2–73 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.4%56.6–65.9 | 65.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.8%63.2–77.7 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 32%28.3–35.7 | 25.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 40.3%35.4–45.4 | 35% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.4%20.8–28.2 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.1%17.2–25.1 | 14.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.1%12.7–17.8 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.5%9.8–13.4 | 8.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12%10.2–14.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.6%16.1–23.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.7%30.5–39.2 | 29.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.5–16.3 | 13.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.2%17.6–23 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.5%10–13.2 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 3.8% | 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 Ohio figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Nelsonville
Is Nelsonville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nelsonville is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #745 of 993 in Ohio. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Nelsonville?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 43%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Nelsonville?
Ohiohealth O'bleness Hospital in Athens, 10.7 miles in a straight line from Nelsonville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Nelsonville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.5–13.9%), 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 Nelsonville more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Nelsonville.
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.