Photo: Mt. Hood Territory · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sandy is healthier than 47%
Sandy differs from Oregon on 12 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sandy. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sandy
Against towns with similar incomes, Sandy’s lead shrinks
Sandy is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but 47% of the 7,291 towns with similar household incomes ($82K–$136K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease and diabetes are less common in Sandy
Sandy runs below Oregon on six chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.8% vs 6.5%), diabetes (8.6% vs 11.2%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.3%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Oregon 19%). Conditions ↓
Sandy has a community health center but no hospital
Sandy Health Center is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham, 10.7 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Sandy’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Sandy’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandy is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, #44 of 142 in Oregon. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Sandy’s median household income is $108,984; among the 7,291 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$136K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Sandy adults…
Sandy runs below OR on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Sandy residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Oregon. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Sandy
1 community health center in Sandy, 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 Sandy; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Oregon
Share of adults, with the Oregon figure marked.
9 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Sandy adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
How Sandy adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Sandy runs above Oregon.
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.
Sandy and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy | B+ | 35.2% | 8.6% | 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 Sandy adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sandy
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sandy is better than Oregon on 10 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Sandy’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sandy | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%14.2–18.8 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.4–14.6 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.4–21.9 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%30.6–39.9 | 33.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.4–9.8 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.4%24.6–30.2 | 32.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29%26.1–31.9 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.6%21.1–25.9 | 27.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.1–13.9 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 6.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.7–6.3 | 6.8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.9%7.9–12.2 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%9.9–14.1 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.1%16–22.2 | 20.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.5–19.8 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%30.1–38.8 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.8–8.5 | 8.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70%66.4–73.3 | 72.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.7%64.5–70.9 | 64.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.6%80.3–84.7 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.2%62.7–69.3 | 71.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%59.8–68.1 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%72.9–84.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.8%27.5–34.2 | 27.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.7%23.4–30.1 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.4%9–12 | 13% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%12.8–16.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3.4% | 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 Oregon figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Sandy
Is Sandy a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandy is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #44 of 142 in Oregon. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sandy?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 39.9%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sandy?
Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham, 10.7 miles in a straight line from Sandy’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sandy have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.5%), 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 Sandy 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 Sandy.
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.