Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Waterville is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Waterville differs from Ohio on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waterville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waterville
Waterville keeps up with checkups
It beats Ohio on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (76.3% vs 62.9%) and cholesterol checks (89.6% vs 86.1%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Waterville adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Ohio. 1 in 14 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Waterville is an active town
Only 21.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.9% 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 Waterville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Waterville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterville is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #88 of 993 in Ohio. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 88% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 75%.
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). Waterville’s median household income is $104,114; among the 7,973 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waterville 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.
5% of Waterville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Waterville adults…
Waterville runs below OH on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Waterville
No hospital or community health center in Waterville 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 Waterville; ≈ 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 Waterville adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Waterville does better than Ohio.
1 in 3 Waterville 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.
Waterville and the towns around it
Waterville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville | A | 29.4% | 10.4% | 11% | CDC place |
| Waterville Township | A− | 30.5% | 10.9% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
| Middleton Township | B | 37.7% | 10.4% | 12.7% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waterville adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waterville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waterville is better than Ohio on 21 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Waterville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waterville | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%12–16.8 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10–13.3 | 13.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.8 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.4%25.4–33.8 | 37.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.4%9–11.9 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33%29.9–36.2 | 37.2% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%33.3–39.8 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30%27.2–32.9 | 29.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.5–11.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 7.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.2–7.4 | 8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%6–7.9 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%8.8–13.4 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.2%17.8–25 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.6–19.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%30.3–35.3 | 37.9% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.2–6.6 | 8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.6%78.9–84.1 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.3%74.5–78 | 62.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88.1–91.1 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.9%78.3–83.3 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.1%68.8–73.3 | 65.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.2%76.8–83.3 | 76% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.9%21.9–28 | 25.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33%28.6–37.6 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.4%15.6–21.5 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.2%5.7–8.9 | 14.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.7%5.4–8.1 | 11.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%3.9–5.5 | 8.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.8–5.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5%3.9–6.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.7%21.4–28.3 | 29.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.9%9.2–12.9 | 13.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%9–12.3 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.7–3.7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.8%4.9–6.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.2–3 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Waterville
Is Waterville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterville is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #88 of 993 in Ohio. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waterville?
CDC estimates 29.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 33.8%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waterville?
Wood County Hospital in Bowling Green, 9.6 miles in a straight line from Waterville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waterville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6.6%), 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 Waterville more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waterville.
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.