Health · Salem

Salem, IN health

Salem differs from Indiana on 19 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (12.6% vs 8.1%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (23.7% vs 15.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Salem
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Salem’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Salem is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressDObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 6%
Less healthyHealthier
Indiana towns we grade (1,081)Healthier than 3%
Towns with similar incomes, $42K–$71K (7,286)Healthier than 8%

About what its income would suggest. Salem does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Salem 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 Salem 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. Salem 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 Salem 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 Salem adults…

44 of every 100 Salem adults have high blood pressure
Indiana: 38 in 100 · worse · margin 39.3–47.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Salem, betterSalem, worseToo close to callIndiana
Get no exerciseshare of adults 31.9% Salem
IN 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.8% Salem
IN 37.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.1% Salem
IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 22% Salem
IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%
Yearly checkup
IN 80%
54%
Dentist visit
IN 61%
84%
Cholesterol check
IN 86%
64%
Colon screening
IN 66%
70%
Mammogram
IN 76%
79%
Taking BP meds
IN 77%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Salem 9.8% · Indiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection

How Salem adults are doing

1 in 3Salem adults feel lonely
32.8% · Indiana 32.8% · too close to call
1 in 3Salem adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.7% · Indiana 25.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Salem adults lack social or emotional support
22.9% · Indiana 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Salem 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 5
Salem adults worry about having enough food
19.6% · IN 14.7% · worse
1 in 8
Salem adults worry about keeping their housing
13.3% · IN 11.2% · worse
1 in 9
Salem adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.7% · IN 8.4% · worse
1 in 10
Salem adults lack reliable transportation
10% · IN 7.7% · worse

14.6% of Salem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.

Disability

Living with a disability

39.4%

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

Walking or climbing stairs20%
Thinking or memory18.9%
Hearing9.7%
Errands alone11.7%
Vision7.1%
Dressing or bathing5.6%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Salem

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Salem, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERAscension St. Vincent SalemSalem · 0.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNorton Scott Hospital★★★★★ · 18.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLifespringSalem · 1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.7 mi
Ascension St. Vincent Salem
Salem · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Salem
1 mi
Lifespring
3 sites · nearest in Salem
Sliding-scale feesIn Salem
Directions to nearest
18.2 mi
Norton Scott Hospital
Scottsburg · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
18.4 mi
Well Care Community Health
2 sites · nearest in Austin
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
20.6 mi
Indiana University Health Paoli Hospital
Paoli · not rated
ERRural critical access
23.4 mi
Physicians' Medical Center
New Albany · not rated
! Primary careSalem's county is a federal shortage area.Washington County · need score 10 of 25
! Dental careSalem's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Washington County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthSalem's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 25 - Clark/Floyd/Harrison/Scott/Washington Counties · need score 10 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 Salem. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Salem
MeasureSalemMarginIndiana
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure43.7%39.3–47.8%37.8%worse
High cholesterol41.2%36.6–45.6%37.8%about the same
Obesity43%34.7–51%38.4%about the same
Arthritis33.8%30.4–37.2%28.3%worse
Depression28.7%24.8–32.7%25.1%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)23.7%19.6–27.9%15.4%worse
Asthma12.3%10.9–13.7%11.2%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.3%8.5–10.2%8.3%worse
Diabetes16%14–18.1%13%worse
COPD12.6%11–14.2%8.1%worse
Heart disease9.2%8.2–10.2%6.8%worse
Stroke4.8%4.3–5.3%3.5%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22%18.9–25.2%15.7%worse
Binge drink15.1%12.3–18%16.6%about the same
Get no exercise31.9%27–37%24.9%worse
Sleep under 7 hours37.8%30.9–45.1%37.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.9%76.3–83%79.7%about the same
Dentist visit53.9%49.8–57.8%61.2%worse
Cholesterol check83.8%81.4–85.7%85.8%worse
Colon screening63.7%58.3–68.8%66.3%about the same
Mammogram69.6%60.3–77.7%76.4%about the same
Taking BP meds78.8%76.1–81.2%77.4%about the same
No health insurance9.8%7.8–11.8%8.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely32.8%27.8–37.9%32.8%about the same
Lack emotional support22.9%19.6–26.6%23.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress20%17.8–22.3%17.6%worse
Fair or poor health27.1%23.6–30.6%20.6%worse
Frequent physical distress17.9%15.7–20%13.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity19.6%16.4–23%14.7%worse
Housing insecurity13.3%11.3–15.5%11.2%worse
Utility shut-off threat10.7%9.2–12.2%8.4%worse
No reliable transportation10%8.6–11.4%7.7%worse
Receive SNAP14.6%12–17%8.6%
Disability
Any disability39.4%34.5–44.2%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs20%17.3–22.7%14.2%
Thinking or memory18.9%16.7–21.3%15%
Hearing9.7%8.6–10.8%7.1%
Vision7.1%6.3–7.9%5%
Dressing or bathing5.6%4.9–6.3%3.7%
Errands alone11.7%10.2–13.2%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 Salem door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Indiana figure falls inside it, we don't call Salem better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Salem 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.

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