Photo: Vasiliymeshko · CC BY 4.0Portsmouth’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Portsmouth differs from Ohio on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 25 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Portsmouth. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portsmouth
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Portsmouth
1 in 7 adults have COPD (14.1%), vs 8% across Ohio. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.1%), vs 7.1% across Ohio. Stroke is also above the state: 5.2%, vs 3.7% across Ohio. In all, Portsmouth runs above Ohio on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Portsmouth is in the bottom 1% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Portsmouth is healthier than only 1% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
More Portsmouth adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (40.9%), vs 26.9% across Ohio. Habits ↓
More Portsmouth adults live with a disability
43.2% of adults live with a disability, vs 29.5% across Ohio. The biggest difference is vision loss: 8.6% vs 4.8%. Disability ↓
Portsmouth has a top-rated hospital
Southern Ohio Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Portsmouth’s likely range.
What’s behind Portsmouth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portsmouth is near the bottom of U.S. towns, #989 of 993 in Ohio. All seven of Portsmouth’s estimates fall in the lowest 6% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is mental distress: 23.8% of adults, against 17.5% across Ohio and 15.9% nationally.
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). Portsmouth’s median household income is $34,713; among the 1,200 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 10%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Portsmouth adults…
Portsmouth runs above OH on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Portsmouth
2 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Portsmouth, 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 Portsmouth; ≈ 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).
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Portsmouth adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Keeping up with care
Share of Portsmouth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
How Portsmouth adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Portsmouth runs above Ohio.
2 in 5 Portsmouth 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.
27.4% of Portsmouth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Portsmouth and the towns around it
Portsmouth’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | D− | 47.4% | 17.3% | 24.3% | CDC place |
| Clay Township | D− | 46.5% | 17% | 23.4% | ZIP codes |
| New Boston | D− | 50.4% | 20.4% | 30.4% | CDC place |
| Rosemount | D | 44.6% | 16.6% | 19.4% | CDC place |
| Porter Township | D | 42.7% | 14.6% | 18.5% | ZIP codes |
| Sciotodale | — | — | — | — | |
| Harrison Township | D− | 45% | 16% | 21.5% | ZIP codes |
Sciotodale: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Portsmouth
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portsmouth is better than Ohio on 1 and worse on 25; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Portsmouth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portsmouth | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.2%27.3–33.5 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%18.1–22.3 | 13.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23.8%21.5–26.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 47.4%41.9–52.9 | 37.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.3%15.5–19.4 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.2%41.8–48.7 | 37.2% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.1–42 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.5%31.6–37.4 | 29.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.2–14 | 11.1% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8–9.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.1%9.2–11.1 | 7.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14.1%12.7–15.5 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 28.8%25.2–32.7 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.3%21.6–27.2 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 40.9%36.8–45.3 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.7–15.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.8%40–49.9 | 37.9% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.5%9.8–13.2 | 8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.6%77.6–83.4 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.6%44.3–51.1 | 62.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%78.4–82.6 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.8–81.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.1%55.6–64.6 | 65.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 65.7%58.1–73.1 | 76% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 31.7%28.1–35.3 | 25.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 37.9%33.1–42.8 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%19.2–25.7 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.1%22.9–29.4 | 14.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.1%14.9–19.5 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.5%12.7–16.3 | 8.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.7%12.2–15.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 27.4%24.2–30.7 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.2%39.3–47.4 | 29.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.7%19.6–24.1 | 13.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.3%19.1–23.7 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.6%7.9–9.4 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.1%12.7–15.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%6.2–7.4 | 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 Portsmouth
Is Portsmouth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portsmouth is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health, #989 of 993 in Ohio. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 10%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portsmouth?
CDC estimates 47.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 41.9% and 52.9%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portsmouth?
Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Portsmouth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Portsmouth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.8–13.2%), 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 Portsmouth more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays D−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Portsmouth.
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.