Photo: Trashbag · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, John Day is healthier than 87%
John Day trails Oregon on 3 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for John Day. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in John Day
Cancer and arthritis run high in John Day
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.5%), vs 8.9% across Oregon. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.7%), vs 27.4% across Oregon. Conditions ↓
John Day is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, John Day is healthier than 59%. Against the 8,298 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 87%. 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 John Day’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind John Day’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, John Day is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 77% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). John Day’s median household income is $57,891; among the 8,298 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 87%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 John Day adults…
John Day runs above OR on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near John Day
1 hospital in John Day, 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 John Day; ≈ 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.
2.1 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of John Day adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
How John Day 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.
John Day and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Day | B | 32% | 11.8% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of John Day adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for John Day
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, John Day is better than Oregon on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside John Day’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | John Day | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.5%16–23.4 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.5–17.2 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.1–20.1 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%24.2–40.4 | 33.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%9.9–13.8 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.1%30.7–39.6 | 32.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%31.2–40 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.7%28–35.6 | 27.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 6.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%6.5–9.7 | 6.8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.3–4.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.7%13.4–20.2 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.2–16.1 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%16.5–26.4 | 20.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.3–18.2 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%25.9–39.3 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%5.5–9.4 | 8.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.4%69.2–77.3 | 72.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.2%57.1–64.9 | 64.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.2–86.8 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%71–77.4 | 71.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.6%61.1–71.3 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.7%64.8–80.7 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%22.5–30.7 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.2%27.9–38.6 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%12.4–18 | 13% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%12.7–17.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4–5.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.2–10.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.1–4.4 | 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 John Day
Is John Day a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, John Day is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in John Day?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.2% and 40.4%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to John Day?
Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day, 0.1 miles in a straight line from John Day’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in John Day have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–9.4%), 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 John Day 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 John Day.
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.