Photo: Ichabod · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Portland is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Portland trails Tennessee on 6 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Portland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portland
Portland looks healthier next to Tennessee than next to the country
It’s healthier than 40% of the 176 Tennessee towns we grade, but 12% of towns nationwide. Much of Tennessee scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Portland
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (22.1%), vs 19.3% across Tennessee. Depression is above the state too: 32.5%, vs 28.4% across Tennessee. Mind & connection ↓
Smoking is more common in Portland
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (20.9%), vs 17.3% across Tennessee. 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 Tennessee figure falls outside Portland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Portland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, #106 of 176 in Tennessee. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 39% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Portland’s median household income is $72,647; among the 10,707 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$91K), it’s healthier than 6%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Tennessee towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Portland is healthier than 40% of graded towns, against 12% nationally.
How Portland adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Portland runs above Tennessee.
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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
3.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Portland adults…
Portland runs above TN on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Portland residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Portland
No hospital or community health center in Portland 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 Portland; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Portland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.6% of Portland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Portland and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Portland adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Portland
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portland is better than Tennessee on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Portland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portland | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.5%21.7–27.4 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.6–18.2 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.1%19.8–24.5 | 19.3% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.6%36.5–51 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.2–14.5 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.9%33.1–40.9 | 39.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.2%34.2–42.5 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.1%28.1–34.5 | 30.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–13 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.9–8.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.3 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.3%15.9–22.6 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.9%18.2–23.6 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.4%24.2–32.9 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.7–18.3 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.7%33.3–45.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.7%11.6–15.9 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.3%71.6–79 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.3%50.4–57.8 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.3%82.3–86.4 | 86.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.3%70.3–76.2 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.3%54.8–65 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.3%61.3–77.2 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 32.5%28.6–36.9 | 28.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.8%24.2–31.8 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.8%16–19.8 | 16.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.6%13–16.4 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10%8.8–11.4 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.8%8.9–10.8 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.6%14.8–18.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.4%34.1–42.8 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.5%14.5–18.5 | 16.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.5%18.3–22.7 | 17.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.9–8.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.4–6.5 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–4.8 | 4.1% | 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 Tennessee figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Portland
Is Portland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: D for health, #106 of 176 in Tennessee. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 6%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portland?
CDC estimates 43.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.5% and 51%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portland?
The Medical Center at Franklin in Franklin, 8.5 miles in a straight line from Portland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Portland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.6–15.9%), against 11.6% across Tennessee.
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 Portland more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Portland.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Tennessee 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.