Health · Penn

Penn, IN health

Penn differs from Indiana on 15 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (11.8% vs 8.1%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (21.9% vs 15.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 47369, 47326
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Penn’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Penn is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns, and than 39% of towns with similar incomes.

DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressDObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 7%
Less healthyHealthier
Indiana towns we grade (1,081)Healthier than 3%
Towns with similar incomes, $29K–$49K (1,949)Healthier than 39%

Better than its income would suggest. Penn is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Penn could be anywhere from D− to C.
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 Penn 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. Penn’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. 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 Penn 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

Out of every 100 Penn adults…

43 of every 100 Penn adults have high blood pressure
Indiana: 38 in 100 · worse · margin 38.5–46.9%

Bars show Penn; the black tick is Indiana. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Penn, betterPenn, worseToo close to callIndiana
Get no exerciseshare of adults 31.7% Penn
IN 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 39.1% Penn
IN 37.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.6% Penn
IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 21.9% Penn
IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Penn adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Indiana.

79%
Yearly checkup
IN 80%
54%
Dentist visit
IN 61%
84%
Cholesterol check
IN 86%
64%
Colon screening
IN 66%
75%
Mammogram
IN 76%
79%
Taking BP meds
IN 77%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Penn 10% · Indiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection

How Penn adults are doing

1 in 3Penn adults feel lonely
32.9% · Indiana 32.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Penn adults have been diagnosed with depression
27% · Indiana 25.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Penn adults lack social or emotional support
23.5% · Indiana 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Penn adults are in frequent mental distress
20% · Indiana 17.6% · worse
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 6
Penn adults worry about having enough food
17.9% · IN 14.7% · worse
1 in 8
Penn adults worry about keeping their housing
12.5% · IN 11.2% · about the same
1 in 10
Penn adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.6% · IN 8.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Penn adults lack reliable transportation
9% · IN 7.7% · worse

12% of Penn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.

Disability

Living with a disability

38.2%

of Penn adults live with a disability (Indiana 31.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18.8%
Thinking or memory18.4%
Hearing9.5%
Errands alone10.8%
Vision6.5%
Dressing or bathing5.1%

Black tick: Indiana. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Penn

Penn 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 Penn.

Harrison: 42.6% Knox: 43.6% Jackson: 42.4% Chester: 42.6% Washington: 44.4% Jackson: 44.5% Greene: 43.2% Richland: 45.3% Bearcreek: 42.2% Hartford: 44.4% Nottingham: 43% Penn: 44.4% Penn Harrison Knox Jackson Indiana University Health Jay · Portland · 10.9 mi · 5★ MedicareH Meridian Health Services · Montpelier · 6.5 mi+
42.2%45.3%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#8 of 12towns on this map, healthiest first
Jackson42.4%
Harrison42.6%
Knox43.6%
Penn44.4%
5 places to get careNearest ER 10.9 mi

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 Penn

No hospital or community health center in Penn itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERIndiana University Health JayPortland · 10.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyVA N. Indiana Healthcare System★★★★★ · 25 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMeridian Health ServicesMontpelier · 6.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.5 mi
Meridian Health Services
8 sites · nearest in Montpelier
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
10.9 mi
Indiana University Health Jay
Portland · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
14.8 mi
Bluffton Regional Medical Center
Bluffton · ★★★★★
ER
24.2 mi
Adams Memorial Hospital
Decatur · not rated
ERRural critical access
25 mi
VA N. Indiana Healthcare System
Marion · ★★★★★
ERVA
! Primary carePenn's county is a federal shortage area.Jay County · need score 7 of 25
! Dental carePenn's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Jay County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthPenn's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 6 - Delaware/Henry/Jay Counties · need score 14 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 Penn. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Penn
MeasurePennMarginIndiana
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure42.6%38.5–46.9%37.8%worse
High cholesterol41.5%37.2–46%37.8%about the same
Obesity44.4%36.2–53.1%38.4%about the same
Arthritis33%29.6–36.6%28.3%worse
Depression27%23.3–31%25.1%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)21.9%18.2–25.9%15.4%worse
Asthma11.7%10.4–13.2%11.2%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.1%8.2–10%8.3%about the same
Diabetes15.4%13.4–17.5%13%worse
COPD11.8%10.3–13.4%8.1%worse
Heart disease9%8–10%6.8%worse
Stroke4.5%4–5%3.5%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes21.9%18.7–25.2%15.7%worse
Binge drink15.6%12.8–18.7%16.6%about the same
Get no exercise31.7%26.7–36.9%24.9%worse
Sleep under 7 hours39.1%32.2–46%37.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.8%75.2–82%79.7%about the same
Dentist visit54.1%50.1–57.8%61.2%worse
Cholesterol check83.7%81.4–85.8%85.8%about the same
Colon screening63.6%58.2–68.6%66.3%about the same
Mammogram74.6%66.3–81.5%76.4%about the same
Taking BP meds78.9%76.1–81.4%77.4%about the same
No health insurance10%8.1–12.3%8.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely32.9%27.8–38.3%32.8%about the same
Lack emotional support23.5%20–27.5%23.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress20%17.7–22.4%17.6%worse
Fair or poor health25.9%22.4–29.5%20.6%worse
Frequent physical distress17.3%15.2–19.6%13.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity17.9%14.8–21.3%14.7%worse
Housing insecurity12.5%10.5–14.6%11.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat9.6%8.3–11.2%8.4%about the same
No reliable transportation9%7.8–10.5%7.7%worse
Receive SNAP12%9.9–14.4%8.6%
Disability
Any disability38.2%33.4–43%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs18.8%16.2–21.4%14.2%
Thinking or memory18.4%16.1–20.9%15%
Hearing9.5%8.4–10.7%7.1%
Vision6.5%5.7–7.3%5%
Dressing or bathing5.1%4.5–5.8%3.7%
Errands alone10.8%9.4–12.3%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 Penn door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Indiana figure falls inside it, we don't call Penn better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Penn by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Penn by how much of its land each one covers.

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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01