Photo: Finetooth · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Sisters is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Sisters differs from Oregon on 12 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sisters. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sisters
Sisters keeps up with checkups
It beats Oregon on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.8% vs 72.6%) and dentist visits (71.6% vs 64.7%). Checkups ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Sisters
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12%), vs 8.9% across Oregon. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.6%), vs 27.4% across Oregon. Age is part of it: 39% of residents are 65 or older (Oregon 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 21 miles from Sisters
The closest emergency room is St. Charles Medical Center - Bend in Bend, 20.9 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Sisters is an active town
Only 16.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 20.1% across Oregon. Habits ↓
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 Sisters’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Sisters’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sisters is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #12 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 96% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 67%.
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). Sisters’ median household income is $94,524; among the 9,362 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sisters adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
Out of every 100 Sisters adults…
Sisters runs below OR on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Sisters is an older town: 39% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Oregon. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Sisters as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Sisters
No hospital or community health center in Sisters itself. These are the nearest.
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 Sisters; ≈ 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.
2.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Sisters adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Sisters does better than 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.
Sisters and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sisters | A | 26.5% | 11% | 9.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sisters adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sisters
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sisters is better than Oregon on 10 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Sisters’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sisters | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.1–19 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11–15.1 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.6–16.5 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.5%21.7–31.8 | 33.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11%9.4–12.9 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%32.1–39.7 | 32.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%33.7–41.5 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.6%29.2–36.1 | 27.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12%10.9–13.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 6.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.9%5.5–8.5 | 6.8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3–4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.4–12.8 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%7.4–12.2 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.3%13–20 | 20.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.5–17.8 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 24.8%20.5–29.1 | 30.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.8%4.4–7.5 | 8.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%74.6–81 | 72.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.6%68.4–74.5 | 64.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.3–89.9 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.1–79.5 | 71.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.3%65.6–74.2 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%72.1–83.9 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%21.1–27.9 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%23.6–32.1 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%10.7–15.5 | 13% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12%10.1–14.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.6–8.7 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.3–4.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%5.7–8.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.7 | 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 Sisters
Is Sisters a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sisters is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #12 of 142 in Oregon. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sisters?
CDC estimates 26.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.7% and 31.8%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sisters?
St. Charles Medical Center - Bend in Bend, 20.9 miles in a straight line from Sisters’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sisters have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–7.5%), 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 Sisters 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 Sisters.
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.