Health · Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN health
Fort Wayne differs from Indiana on 9 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (7.4% vs 8.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing a utility shut-off (11.4% vs 8.4%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Fort WayneTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C
Fort Wayne’s Health Grade: C
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Fort Wayne is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns, and than 51% of towns with similar incomes.
CSelf-rated healthBPhysical distressCMental distressC-ObesityCDiabetesC+SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 34%
Less healthyHealthier
Indiana towns we grade (1,081)Healthier than 53%
Towns with similar incomes, $46K–$77K (8,477)Healthier than 51%
Better than its income would suggest. Fort Wayne is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Fort Wayne could be anywhere from C− to B.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Indiana ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Fort Wayne with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Fort Wayne uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Fort Wayne compares with Indiana
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
40.7% have obesity
1 better10 close1 worse
Habits
25% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
79.1% had a checkup
0 better4 close3 worse
Mind & connection
33.4% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
19.2% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
32.3% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Fort Wayne adults…
37 of every 100 Fort Wayne adults have high blood pressure
Indiana: 38 in 100 · too close to call · margin 34.7–40.2%
Bars show Fort Wayne; the black tick is Indiana. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Fort Wayne, betterFort Wayne, worseToo close to callIndiana
Get no exerciseshare of adults
25% Fort Wayne
IN 24.9%
IN 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
36.2% Fort Wayne
IN 37.1%
IN 37.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults
16.7% Fort Wayne
IN 16.6%
IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
15.8% Fort Wayne
IN 15.7%
IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Wayne adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.
Yearly checkup
IN 80%Dentist visit
IN 61%Cholesterol check
IN 86%Colon screening
IN 66%Mammogram
IN 76%Taking BP meds
IN 77%1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Fort Wayne 10.6% · Indiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection
How Fort Wayne adults are doing
1 in 3Fort Wayne adults feel lonely
33.4% · Indiana 32.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Fort Wayne adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.5% · Indiana 25.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Fort Wayne adults lack social or emotional support
24.2% · Indiana 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Fort Wayne adults are in frequent mental distress
18.4% · Indiana 17.6% · too close to call
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 5
Fort Wayne adults worry about having enough food
19.2% · IN 14.7% · worse
1 in 7
Fort Wayne adults worry about keeping their housing
14.2% · IN 11.2% · worse
1 in 9
Fort Wayne adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
11.4% · IN 8.4% · worse
1 in 10
Fort Wayne adults lack reliable transportation
10% · IN 7.7% · worse
12.7% of Fort Wayne adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.
Disability
Living with a disability
32.3%
of Fort Wayne adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs14.4%
Thinking or memory16.7%
Hearing6.7%
Errands alone9.2%
Vision6%
Dressing or bathing4.4%
Black tick: Indiana. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Around Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Fort Wayne.
35.4%43.5%· darker is worse for health
Obesity
#15 of 18towns on this map, healthiest first
Perry35.4%
Huntertown35.6%
Milan37.9%
St. Joseph38%
Eel River38.3%
Washington39.1%
New Haven39.4%
Fort Wayne40.7%
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Getting care
Care in and near Fort Wayne
4 hospitals and 4 community health centers in Fort Wayne.
HNearest ERSt. Joseph Health SystemFort Wayne · 0.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNeighborhood Health ClinicsFort Wayne · 0.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.8 mi
Neighborhood Health Clinics
6 sites · nearest in Fort Wayne
Neighborhood Health Family Medicine CenterFort Wayne · 0.8 mi
Neighborhood Health - Calhoun SiteFort Wayne · 1.3 mi
Neighborhood Health - Calhoun SiteFort Wayne · 1.3 mi
Neighborhood Health - Calhoun SiteFort Wayne · 1.3 mi
Neighborhood Health OxfordFort Wayne · 2.5 mi
Neighborhood Health - Southeast ClinicFort Wayne · 4.7 mi
0.8 mi
Alliance Health Centers
8 sites · nearest in Fort Wayne
Alliance Health Centers- Washington BlvdFort Wayne · 0.8 mi
Alliance Health Centers- TurnstoneFort Wayne · 1.3 mi
Alliance Health Centers- Urban LeagueFort Wayne · 1.7 mi
Alliance Health CenterFort Wayne · 2 mi
Alliance Health Centers- PediatricsFort Wayne · 2 mi
Alliance Health Centers- Brave Alliance Health CenterFort Wayne · 2.5 mi
Alliance Health Centers- the Bridge of GraceFort Wayne · 3.7 mi
Alliance Health Centers- Charis HouseFort Wayne · 4.1 mi
2 mi
Meridian Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Fort Wayne
Meridian Health ServicesFort Wayne · 2 mi
Meridian Health ServicesFort Wayne · 3.3 mi
2 mi
Bowen Health
3 sites · nearest in Fort Wayne
Bowen Center- Goshen RoadFort Wayne · 2 mi
Bowen Center- Fort WayneFort Wayne · 2.6 mi
Bowen Health- Washington Center RoadFort Wayne · 3.1 mi
6.5 mi
The Orthopaedic Hospital of Lutheran Health Networ
Ft Wayne · not rated
Nothing matches.
! Primary carePart of Fort Wayne is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, South Fort Wayne · need score 19 of 25
✓ Dental careFort Wayne is not a shortage area
! Mental healthFort Wayne's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 20 - Adams/Allen/Wells Counties · need score 12 of 25
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 Fort Wayne. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Fort Wayne
| Measure | Fort Wayne | Margin | Indiana | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 37.4% | 34.7–40.2% | 37.8% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 35.1% | 32.4–38.1% | 37.8% | about the same |
| Obesity | 40.7% | 36.8–44.8% | 38.4% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 26% | 23.8–28.3% | 28.3% | about the same |
| Depression | 26.5% | 23.8–29.5% | 25.1% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 18.6% | 15.7–21.7% | 15.4% | worse |
| Asthma | 11.7% | 10.5–13% | 11.2% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7.4% | 6.7–8% | 8.3% | better |
| Diabetes | 13.8% | 12.4–15.3% | 13% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.2% | 7.5–9% | 8.1% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 6.6% | 6–7.2% | 6.8% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.6% | 3.4–3.9% | 3.5% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.8% | 14.1–17.6% | 15.7% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 16.7% | 14.5–19.2% | 16.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 25% | 22.4–27.9% | 24.9% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.2% | 32.3–40.2% | 37.1% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 79.1% | 76.4–81.6% | 79.7% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 58.2% | 55.1–61.1% | 61.2% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 83.9% | 82.2–85.5% | 85.8% | worse |
| Colon screening | 65.6% | 61.6–69.5% | 66.3% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 73.6% | 67.2–79.5% | 76.4% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 76.1% | 73.7–78.4% | 77.4% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.6% | 9.4–11.9% | 8.9% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33.4% | 30.1–37% | 32.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 24.2% | 21.6–27.1% | 23.2% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18.4% | 16.7–20.3% | 17.6% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 22.1% | 20.2–24.2% | 20.6% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 13.6% | 12.3–15% | 13.8% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 19.2% | 17.3–21.3% | 14.7% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 14.2% | 12.7–16% | 11.2% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 11.4% | 10.2–12.8% | 8.4% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 10% | 9–11.2% | 7.7% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 12.7% | 11.3–14.2% | 8.6% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.3% | 29.5–35.3% | 31.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 14.4% | 13–15.9% | 14.2% | |
| Thinking or memory | 16.7% | 15.2–18.3% | 15% | |
| Hearing | 6.7% | 6.1–7.5% | 7.1% | |
| Vision | 6% | 5.6–6.5% | 5% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.4% | 4–4.7% | 3.7% | |
| Errands alone | 9.2% | 8.4–10.1% | 8.1% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Fort Wayne door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Indiana figure falls inside it, we don't call Fort Wayne better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Fort Wayne directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Indiana figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.