John McSweeney House · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wooster is healthier than 81%
Wooster beats Ohio on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wooster. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wooster
Wooster is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wooster is healthier than 61%. Against the 10,183 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 81%. Health Grade ↓
Wooster has a top-rated hospital
Wooster Community Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Wooster is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its B tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Wayne Township (B−). Around town ↓
Fewer Wooster adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Ohio. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Wooster’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Wooster’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wooster is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, #273 of 993 in Ohio. Fair or poor health holds the grade up (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 71% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Wooster’s median household income is $66,898; among the 10,183 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 81%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Wooster
1 hospital in Wooster, 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 Wooster; ≈ 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).
Wooster and the towns around it
Wooster has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooster | B | 35.6% | 11.5% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Wooster Township | B− | 36.7% | 12.6% | 14.7% | ZIP 44691 |
| Wayne Township | B− | 36.7% | 12.5% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
| Franklin Township | C | 37% | 12.1% | 17.2% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9% of Wooster adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Out of every 100 Wooster adults…
Wooster runs below OH on 3 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.
7.2 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Wooster adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
How Wooster adults are doing
About the same as Ohio on each measure.
1 in 3 Wooster 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wooster adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wooster
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wooster is better than Ohio on 6 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Wooster’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wooster | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17%15–19.4 | 19.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.4–14.5 | 13.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.9–19.8 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.6%29.2–42.6 | 37.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.1–13.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.9–38.1 | 37.2% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31.3–38.9 | 36.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.1%25.2–31.1 | 29.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.3–9.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%10–14.8 | 15.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.5–15.4 | 15.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.4%20.7–28.4 | 26.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15.3–21.7 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5%28.1–39.1 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%6–8.3 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.3–82 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.9%59.4–66.2 | 62.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.3%82.4–86.1 | 86.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%75.4–80.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66%61.1–70.5 | 65.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%68–81.7 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.4%22–29 | 25.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%29.8–40.5 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.1%17–23.4 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.8–13.7 | 14.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.8–10.8 | 11.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.7–7.7 | 8.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%6.1–8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9%7.6–10.7 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.4%24.7–32.3 | 29.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.6–13.8 | 13.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%12.5–15.7 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.9–8.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 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 Wooster
Is Wooster a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wooster is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #273 of 993 in Ohio. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wooster?
CDC estimates 35.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.2% and 42.6%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wooster?
Wooster Community Hospital in Wooster, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Wooster’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wooster have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–8.3%), 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 Wooster more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wooster.
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.