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Main at Congress, PolkPhoto: Nyttend · Public domain
–Not graded
Health in Polk · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Polk residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Polk, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Polk. How CDC estimates town health

Fair or poor health
22.4%
About the same as OH (19.4%)
Obesity
39.6%
About the same as OH (37.1%)
No exercise
31.8%
About the same as OH (26.9%)
Uninsured
9.3%
About the same as OH (8%)
Feel lonely
33.8%
About the same as OH (35%)
Nearest ER
11.9 mi
Lodi Community Hospital
What stands out

What stands out about health in Polk

10%have COPD · OH 8%
★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Polk adults…

Polk runs above OH on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Polk adults have COPD
Ohio: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.1–12.1%
Better than OHWorseAbout the sameOhio
Getting care

Care in and near Polk

No hospital or community health center in Polk itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERLodi Community HospitalLodi · 11.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWooster Community Hospital★★★★★ · 16.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careThird Street Community ClinicAshland · 7.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.2 mi
Third Street Community Clinic
7 sites · nearest in Ashland
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.1 mi
University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center
Ashland · ★★★★★
DirectionsMedicare profile
11.9 mi
Lodi Community Hospital
Lodi · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
16.9 mi
Wooster Community Hospital
Wooster · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
21.5 mi
Ohiohealth Mansfield Hospital
Mansfield · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
23.2 mi
Oberlin
Oberlin · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
Directions
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Polk itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Polk itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Polk itself

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 Polk; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio

Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.

Get no exercise 31.8%OH 26.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 33.7%OH 37.9%
Binge drink 17%OH 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 19.3%OH 15.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
Polk, betterPolk, worseAbout the sameOhio
Where Polk gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Polk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.

79%Yearly checkupOH 80%
62%Dentist visitOH 63%
84%Cholesterol checkOH 86%
64%Colon screeningOH 65%
77%MammogramOH 76%
78%Taking BP medsOH 79%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Polk 9.3% · Ohio 1 in 13 (8%)
Mind & connection

How Polk adults are doing

About the same as Ohio on each measure.

1 in 3Polk adults feel lonely
33.8% · OH 35% · About the same as OH
1 in 5Polk adults lack social or emotional support
20.5% · OH 21.3% · About the same as OH
1 in 4Polk adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.1% · OH 25.4% · About the same as OH
1 in 5Polk adults are in frequent mental distress
19% · OH 17.5% · About the same as OH
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Polk adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Polk adults worry about having enough food
15.7% · OH 14.1%
About the same as OH
1 in 9
Polk adults worry about keeping their housing
11.7% · OH 11.3%
About the same as OH
1 in 11
Polk adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.9% · OH 8.3%
About the same as OH
1 in 12
Polk adults lack reliable transportation
8.4% · OH 7.7%
About the same as OH

14.3% of Polk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.

Around town

Polk and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

33.6%

of Polk adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.9%
Thinking or memory16%
Hearing7.9%
Errands alone9.6%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing4.3%
Ohio

Questions about health in Polk

Why doesn’t Polk have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Polk.

What hospital is closest to Polk?

Lodi Community Hospital in Lodi, 11.9 miles in a straight line from Polk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Where can I get low-cost care near Polk?

2 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is 9th Street Dental in Ashland, 7.2 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Polk.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.