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Morgan Mansion in WellstonPhoto: Nyttend · Public domain
D−Health Grade
Health in Wellston · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Wellston is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns

Wellston trails Ohio on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Wellston

Wellston is in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Wellston is healthier than only 2% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓

Dental care lags in Wellston

49.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.9% across Ohio. Among those 65 and older, 28.3% have lost all their teeth (Ohio 15.3%). Checkups ↓

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Wellston

1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.7%), vs 8% across Ohio. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.6%), vs 7.1% across Ohio. Stroke is also above the state: 4.9%, vs 3.7% across Ohio. In all, Wellston runs above Ohio on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

More Wellston adults live with a disability

2 in 5 adults live with a disability (39.2%, vs 29.5% across Ohio). The biggest difference is vision loss: 7.2% vs 4.8%. Disability ↓

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 Wellston’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Wellston’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wellston is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns, #983 of 993 in Ohio. All seven of Wellston’s estimates fall in the lowest 9% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is obesity: 46.7% of adults, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.

DSelf-rated health28.2% · OH 19.4% · U.S. 19.4%
D−Physical distress19% · OH 13.9% · U.S. 13%
D−Mental distress21.5% · OH 17.5% · U.S. 15.9%
D−Obesity46.7% · OH 37.1% · U.S. 32.9%
DDiabetes16.7% · OH 13.2% · U.S. 12%
D−Smoking23% smoke · OH 15.4% · U.S. 11.8%
D−Exercise38.4% · OH 26.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 2%
Less healthyHealthier
Ohio towns we grade (993)#983 of 993
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $42K–$70K (7,788)Healthier than 2%

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). Wellston’s median household income is $56,193; among the 7,788 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 2%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Wellston could be anywhere from D− to D.

How TownRatings grades health →

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%Yearly checkupOH 80%
50%Dentist visitOH 63%
83%Cholesterol checkOH 86%
60%Colon screeningOH 65%
73%MammogramOH 76%
79%Taking BP medsOH 79%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Wellston 10.7% · Ohio 1 in 13 (8%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Wellston adults…

Wellston runs above OH on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

13 of every 100 Wellston adults have COPD
Ohio: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 11.1–14.4%
Better than OHWorseAbout the sameOhio
Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

39.2%

of Wellston adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs20%
Thinking or memory18.7%
Hearing9.3%
Errands alone12.2%
Vision7.2%
Dressing or bathing5.6%
Ohio
Getting care

Care in and near Wellston

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

HNearest ERHolzer Medical Center JacksonJackson · 8.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyHolzer Medical Center Jackson★★★★★ · 8.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHopewell Health CentersJackson · 7.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.3 mi
Hopewell Health Centers
4 sites · nearest in Jackson
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7.7 mi
Community Action Committee of Pike County
4 sites · nearest in Jackson
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.1 mi
Holzer Medical Center Jackson
Jackson · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
24.8 mi
Holzer Medical Center
Gallipolis · ★★★★★
ER
25.1 mi
Adena Pike Medical Center
Waverly · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.9 mi
Ohiohealth O'bleness Hospital
Athens · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Wellston itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Wellston itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Wellston 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 Wellston; ≈ 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 38.4%OH 26.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 43%OH 37.9%
Binge drink 15%OH 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 23%OH 15.4%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Wellston, betterWellston, worseAbout the sameOhio
Where Wellston gets moving

1 mile of trails across 5 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Wellston adults are doing

On 2 of 4 measures, Wellston runs above Ohio.

2 in 5Wellston adults feel lonely
38% · OH 35% · About the same as OH
1 in 4Wellston adults lack social or emotional support
22.6% · OH 21.3% · About the same as OH
3 in 10Wellston adults have been diagnosed with depression
30% · OH 25.4% · Worse than OH
1 in 5Wellston adults are in frequent mental distress
21.5% · OH 17.5% · Worse than OH
The one neighbors can help with

2 in 5 Wellston 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 5
Wellston adults worry about having enough food
20.6% · OH 14.1%
Worse than OH
1 in 7
Wellston adults worry about keeping their housing
14.1% · OH 11.3%
Worse than OH
1 in 9
Wellston adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.9% · OH 8.3%
Worse than OH
1 in 9
Wellston adults lack reliable transportation
10.6% · OH 7.7%
Worse than OH

19.9% of Wellston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.

Around town

Wellston and the towns around it

Wellston’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.

Milton Township: 46.5%Coal Township: 46.3%Washington Township: 46.6%Bloomfield Township: 43%Lick Township: 44.7%Wilkesville Township: 39%Clinton Township: 39.9%Jackson Township: 43.5%Liberty Township: 44.6%Richland Township: 41%Wellston: 46.7%WellstonMilton TownshipCoal TownshipWashington TownshipHolzer Medical Center Jackson · Jackson · 8.1 mi · 3★ MedicareHHopewell Health Centers - Jackson Mccarty · Jackson · 7.3 mi+Jackson Family Health Center · Jackson · 7.7 mi+
Healthier than OHNear OHLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#11 of 11 towns on this map, healthiest first
Coal Township46.3%
Milton Township46.5%
Washington Township46.6%
Wellston46.7%
OH37.1%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
WellstonD−46.7%16.7%23%CDC place
Milton TownshipD−46.5%16.4%22.4%ZIP codes
Coal TownshipD−46.3%16.2%22.2%ZIP codes
Washington Township————

Washington Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Every CDC estimate for Wellston

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wellston is better than Ohio on 0 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Wellston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…WellstonOHU.S.vs OH
Overall health
Fair or poor health28.2%24.6–31.819.4%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)19%16.6–21.313.9%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)21.5%19–23.817.5%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity46.7%40.1–53.237.1%32.9%Worse
Diabetes16.7%14.7–18.913.2%12%Worse
High blood pressure45.1%41.2–49.137.2%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)42.2%38.2–46.136.7%37.1%Worse
Arthritis35.8%32.5–39.229.8%25.3%Worse
Asthma12.1%10.7–13.511.1%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.5%8.5–10.58.7%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease9.6%8.5–10.77.1%6.4%Worse
COPD12.7%11.1–14.48%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.9%4.4–5.43.7%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)28.3%23.8–32.915.3%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes23%19.7–26.315.4%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work38.4%33.1–43.526.9%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking15%12.4–17.816.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours43%37.3–48.837.9%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)10.7%8.7–12.98%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year78.9%75.6–8279.9%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year49.6%46–53.262.9%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years82.5%80.3–84.786.1%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)79.1%76.7–81.479.2%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)60.1%55.2–64.865.2%65.5%Worse
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)72.8%65.2–79.476%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression30%26.2–33.825.4%20.6%Worse
Feel lonely38%32.7–43.435%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support22.6%19.1–26.221.3%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food20.6%17.2–24.214.1%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing14.1%11.8–16.411.3%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off10.9%9.3–12.58.3%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation10.6%9.1–12.17.7%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)19.9%16.6–23.311.7%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability39.2%34.5–43.729.5%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs20%17.4–22.713.9%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering18.7%16.3–21.113.9%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty9.3%8.2–10.46.8%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty7.2%6.3–8.14.8%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone12.2%10.6–13.88.1%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing5.6%4.9–6.43.8%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 Wellston

Is Wellston a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wellston is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #983 of 993 in Ohio. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 2%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Wellston?

CDC estimates 46.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 40.1% and 53.2%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Wellston?

Holzer Medical Center Jackson in Jackson, 8.1 miles in a straight line from Wellston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Wellston have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.7–12.9%), 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 Wellston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.

Neighbors talk health

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

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. 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.