Photo: Demi~commonswiki · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Ashland is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Ashland differs from Oregon on 7 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ashland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ashland
Cancer runs high in Ashland
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.8%), vs 8.9% across Oregon. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Oregon 19%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Ashland is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ashland is healthier than 81%. Against the 10,334 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
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 Oregon figure falls outside Ashland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Ashland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #24 of 142 in Oregon. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 93% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 55%.
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). Ashland’s median household income is $68,028; among the 10,334 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Ashland adults…
Ashland runs below OR on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Ashland is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Oregon. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Ashland as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Ashland
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Ashland, 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 Ashland; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Oregon
Share of adults, with the Oregon figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Ashland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
How Ashland adults are doing
About the same as Oregon on each measure.
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.
Ashland and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | A− | 29.6% | 11.1% | 9.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ashland adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ashland
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ashland is better than Oregon on 6 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Ashland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ashland | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.9–18 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.2–14.2 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.9–18.6 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%24.9–34.5 | 33.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.6–12.6 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.9%30.6–37.2 | 32.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.4%30.9–37.8 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.5–32.3 | 27.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.7–13.5 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.8%9.8–11.8 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.5 | 6.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.7–7.4 | 6.8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.1%7.4–10.8 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.3%7.9–10.8 | 12% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.4%14.6–20.3 | 20.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%12–16.9 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%26.7–35.5 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%5.3–7.6 | 8.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.8%73.5–79.8 | 72.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.5%63.4–69.4 | 64.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.3–86.9 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.6–76.5 | 71.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%64.7–72.8 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%71.6–83.1 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.3%23–29.6 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%24.3–31.1 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%10.6–13.9 | 13% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11.4–14.4 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.5–8.2 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.8–4.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Oregon figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ashland
Is Ashland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #24 of 142 in Oregon. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ashland?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.9% and 34.5%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ashland?
Asante Ashland Community Hospital in Ashland, 1.7 miles in a straight line from Ashland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ashland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–7.6%), against 8.5% across Oregon.
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 Ashland 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 Ashland.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oregon 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.