Photo: Creator: Javin Weaver · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Utah, Provo is healthier than 37% of graded towns
Provo differs from Utah on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Provo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Provo
Utah sets a high bar
Provo is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, but only 37% of the 118 Utah towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Provo
1 in 8 adults lack reliable transportation (12.1%), vs 6.9% across Utah. Food insecurity (18.8% vs 12.4%) and utility shut-off threats (9.6% vs 6.5%) are higher too. 12.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 6.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Provo is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Provo is healthier than 80%. Against the 9,755 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 97%. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Provo
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (21.5%), vs 17.3% across Utah. Loneliness is above the state too: 39.3%, vs 34.1% across Utah. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in Provo
Provo runs below Utah on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (4.5% vs 7.2%), arthritis (14.1% vs 21.7%) and heart disease (3.3% vs 4.7%). A young population is part of it: only 7% of residents are 65 or older (Utah 12%). Conditions ↓
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 Utah figure falls outside Provo’s likely range.
What’s behind Provo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Provo is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #75 of 118 in Utah. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Provo’s median household income is $64,171; among the 9,755 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 97%, more than its income alone would suggest.
At 114,527 residents, Provo is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.1% of Provo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.1% across Utah.
How Provo adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Provo runs above Utah.
2 in 5 Provo adults feel lonely. 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.
Out of every 100 Provo adults…
Provo runs below UT on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of Provo residents are 65 or older, vs 12% across Utah. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Provo
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Provo, 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 Provo; ≈ 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 Utah
Share of adults, with the Utah figure marked.
86 miles of trails across 57 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Provo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Utah.
Provo and the towns around it
Provo’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provo | A− | 30.7% | 6.1% | 7% | CDC place |
| Orem | A | 30.3% | 7.7% | 6.5% | CDC place |
| Springville | A | 31.1% | 8% | 6.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Provo adults live with a disability (Utah 28.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Provo
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Provo is better than Utah on 10 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Utah figure falls inside Provo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Provo | UT | U.S. | vs UT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.2%14.6–17.9 | 15.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.5%19.6–23.5 | 17.3% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.7%27.5–34.3 | 31% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 6.1%5.5–6.9 | 8.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 20.8%19.1–22.8 | 27.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 24%22.1–26.1 | 30.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 14.1%12.9–15.5 | 21.7% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.9–12.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.5%4.2–4.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.3%3–3.7 | 4.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 4.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.8%1.7–1.9 | 2.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.9%8.9–13.1 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7%6.1–8 | 8.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.1%15.1–19.4 | 17.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 12.4% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%31–37.9 | 33.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.6%11.3–14.2 | 10.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.2%63.2–69.1 | 70.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.2%61.4–67 | 70.3% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 67.6%65.1–70 | 80.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 51.5%49.2–53.7 | 65.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.7%59–66.2 | 63.1% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.9%63.6–75.6 | 72.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30%27.4–32.7 | 27.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 39.3%36.4–42.2 | 34.1% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20%17.9–22.1 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.8%16.9–20.7 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%11.7–14.7 | 10% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%11–13.3 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.1%10.6–13.7 | 6.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.9%29.2–34.7 | 28.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8%7.2–9 | 10.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.2%19.3–23.1 | 15.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.9–6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.9–5.8 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%9–11 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.5–3 | 2.7% | 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 Utah figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Provo
Is Provo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Provo is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #75 of 118 in Utah. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Provo?
CDC estimates 30.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 34.3%, against 31% across Utah and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Provo?
Intermountain Health Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, 1.2 miles in a straight line from Provo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Provo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–14.2%), against 10.5% across Utah.
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 Provo 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 Provo.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Utah 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.