Photo: Sam Beebe · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Joseph is healthier than 90%
Joseph differs from Oregon on 14 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Joseph. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Joseph
Joseph is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Joseph is healthier than 59%. Against the 7,247 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 90%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Joseph
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13%), vs 8.9% across Oregon. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6.5% across Oregon. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.3% across Oregon. In all, Joseph runs above Oregon on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Oregon 19%), and cancer, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Joseph, and more people treating it
40.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Oregon 32.7%), but 78.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Joseph keeps up with checkups
It beats Oregon on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.6% vs 72.6%) and dentist visits (68.7% vs 64.7%). Checkups ↓
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 Joseph’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Joseph’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Joseph is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). Joseph’s median household income is $54,444; among the 7,247 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Joseph adults…
Joseph runs below OR on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Joseph is an older town: 37% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Oregon. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Joseph as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Joseph adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
Care in and near Joseph
1 community health center in Joseph, 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 Joseph; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Joseph 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.
Joseph and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph | B | 34.4% | 13.6% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Joseph adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Joseph
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Joseph is better than Oregon on 6 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Joseph’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Joseph | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%16.2–24.2 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%12.7–17.8 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13–17.6 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%26.5–43.2 | 33.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%11.3–16 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.8%36.1–45.7 | 32.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.1%35.5–45.1 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.1%32.9–41.5 | 27.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13%11.7–14.4 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.7–10.6 | 6.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%6.9–11.1 | 6.8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%3.7–5.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6–9.6 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%9–15 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.5%16.8–26.7 | 20.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%10.9–16.1 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.1%24–37.3 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%4.9–8.6 | 8.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%75.1–82 | 72.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.7%65–72.2 | 64.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%86.8–90.5 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.7%75.4–81.8 | 71.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.4%66.3–76.3 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%70.8–85.1 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.4%21.6–29.5 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.2%27.9–38.7 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.8%13.4–20.3 | 13% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11.1–15.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.8%8.4–11.3 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.1–6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%6.7–10 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.2–4.8 | 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 Joseph
Is Joseph a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Joseph 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 Joseph?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.5% and 43.2%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Joseph?
Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise, 6.0 miles in a straight line from Joseph’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Joseph have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–8.6%), 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 Joseph 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 Joseph.
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.