Photo: Roseohioresident · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, West Salem is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
West Salem trails Ohio on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Salem. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Salem
West Salem is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, West Salem is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on mental distress, obesity and smoking. Health Grade ↓
Smoking is more common in West Salem
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (21.1%), vs 15.4% across Ohio. Habits ↓
COPD runs high in West Salem
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 8% across Ohio. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Ohio 18%), and COPD is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
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 West Salem’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind West Salem’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Salem is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. Fair or poor health holds the grade up (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 22% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). West Salem’s median household income is $62,042; among the 9,421 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 West Salem adults…
West Salem runs above OH on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
West Salem is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Ohio. COPD rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in West Salem as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near West Salem
No hospital or community health center in West Salem 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 West Salem; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of West Salem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
How West Salem adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, West Salem runs above Ohio.
1 in 3 West Salem 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.
16.1% of West Salem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
West Salem and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Salem | D | 41.5% | 14.3% | 21.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Salem adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Salem
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Salem is better than Ohio on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside West Salem’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Salem | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.4%19.5–28 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.2–19.2 | 13.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%17.7–23 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.5%34.2–49.3 | 37.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.3%12.3–16.5 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.5%34.5–42.7 | 37.2% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%32.8–41.2 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.3%27.9–34.8 | 29.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7–9.2 | 7.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.5%8.9–12.5 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.2%15.9–22.8 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.1%17.1–25.5 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31%25.6–36.8 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.1–21.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.5%29–40.2 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.5%7.1–12.3 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.6%74.1–80.9 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.9%56.4–63.3 | 62.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%80.2–85.4 | 86.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.8–80.3 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.9%54.7–64.8 | 65.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%67.7–81.2 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.7%23.8–31.8 | 25.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.7%30.3–41.7 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.3–26.1 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.7%13.9–21.7 | 14.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.9%10.5–15.4 | 11.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.8%8.1–11.6 | 8.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.4%7.8–11.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.1%12.5–19.8 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%28.5–39.2 | 29.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%13.6–19.1 | 13.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%14.6–20.2 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.7–8.8 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5–6.9 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%8.6–12.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4–5.7 | 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 West Salem
Is West Salem a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Salem is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Salem?
CDC estimates 41.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.2% and 49.3%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Salem?
Lodi Community Hospital in Lodi, 6.7 miles in a straight line from West Salem’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in West Salem have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–12.3%), 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 West Salem more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in West Salem.
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.