Health · Sweetser

Sweetser, IN health

Sweetser differs from Indiana on 8 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (10.1% vs 14.7%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (6% vs 8.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.2% vs 8.3%).

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

Sweetser’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Sweetser is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns and 83% of Indiana towns.

BSelf-rated healthBPhysical distressBMental distressC+ObesityC+DiabetesBSmokingB+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 54%
Less healthyHealthier
Indiana towns we grade (1,081)Healthier than 83%
Towns with similar incomes, $60K–$101K (9,798)Healthier than 56%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Sweetser could be anywhere from C− to A.
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 Sweetser 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. Sweetser 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 Sweetser 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 Sweetser adults…

39 of every 100 Sweetser adults have high blood pressure
Indiana: 38 in 100 · too close to call · margin 35.1–43.6%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Sweetser, betterSweetser, worseToo close to callIndiana
Get no exerciseshare of adults 23.3% Sweetser
IN 24.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.1% Sweetser
IN 37.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.6% Sweetser
IN 16.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14% Sweetser
IN 15.7%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

82%
Yearly checkup
IN 80%
63%
Dentist visit
IN 61%
88%
Cholesterol check
IN 86%
69%
Colon screening
IN 66%
75%
Mammogram
IN 76%
80%
Taking BP meds
IN 77%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sweetser 6.8% · Indiana 1 in 11 (8.9%)
Mind & connection

How Sweetser adults are doing

1 in 3Sweetser adults feel lonely
31.4% · Indiana 32.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Sweetser adults have been diagnosed with depression
26% · Indiana 25.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Sweetser adults lack social or emotional support
21.1% · Indiana 23.2% · too close to call
1 in 6Sweetser adults are in frequent mental distress
16.3% · 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 10
Sweetser adults worry about having enough food
10.1% · IN 14.7% · better
1 in 12
Sweetser adults worry about keeping their housing
8.2% · IN 11.2% · better
1 in 17
Sweetser adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6% · IN 8.4% · better
1 in 18
Sweetser adults lack reliable transportation
5.7% · IN 7.7% · better

5.5% of Sweetser adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.6% across Indiana.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs13.6%
Thinking or memory13.5%
Hearing7.7%
Errands alone7.2%
Vision4.2%
Dressing or bathing3.3%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Sweetser

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

HNearest ERMarion General HospitalMarion · 5.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyVA N. Indiana Healthcare System★★★★★ · 7.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMeridian Health ServicesMarion · 4.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.8 mi
Meridian Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Marion
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
5.2 mi
Alliance Health Centers - Marion
Marion · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
5.3 mi
Marion General Hospital
Marion · ★★★★★
ER
7.4 mi
VA N. Indiana Healthcare System
Marion · ★★★★★
ERVA
17.6 mi
Parkview Wabash Hospital
Wabash · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
20.7 mi
Ascension St. Vincent Mercy
Elwood · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careSweetser's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Grant County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careSweetser's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Grant County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthSweetser's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 11: Blackford/Grant · need score 17 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 Sweetser. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Sweetser
MeasureSweetserMarginIndiana
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure39.3%35.1–43.6%37.8%about the same
High cholesterol40.3%36–44.7%37.8%about the same
Obesity37.8%30.8–45.2%38.4%about the same
Arthritis31.5%28–35.1%28.3%about the same
Depression26%22.2–29.9%25.1%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)11.7%9.7–14.3%15.4%better
Asthma10.8%9.5–12.2%11.2%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.2%9.2–11.3%8.3%worse
Diabetes13%11.1–15.1%13%about the same
COPD8%6.5–9.5%8.1%about the same
Heart disease7.3%6.3–8.4%6.8%about the same
Stroke3.5%3–4%3.5%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14%11–16.9%15.7%about the same
Binge drink16.6%13.7–19.9%16.6%about the same
Get no exercise23.3%18.9–28%24.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.1%31.3–43.3%37.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.7%78.4–84.7%79.7%about the same
Dentist visit62.5%59.1–66%61.2%about the same
Cholesterol check88.2%86.1–89.9%85.8%better
Colon screening68.6%64.4–72.9%66.3%about the same
Mammogram75.1%67.7–81.7%76.4%about the same
Taking BP meds80.1%77.3–82.6%77.4%about the same
No health insurance6.8%5.2–8.7%8.9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.4%26.4–36.5%32.8%about the same
Lack emotional support21.1%17.3–25%23.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.3%14.2–18.6%17.6%about the same
Fair or poor health18.8%15.6–22.1%20.6%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.6%11.6–15.7%13.8%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity10.1%7.6–12.9%14.7%better
Housing insecurity8.2%6.4–10.1%11.2%better
Utility shut-off threat6%4.9–7.2%8.4%better
No reliable transportation5.7%4.6–6.8%7.7%better
Receive SNAP5.5%4–7.1%8.6%
Disability
Any disability29.8%25.1–34.6%31.1%
Walking or climbing stairs13.6%11.3–16.1%14.2%
Thinking or memory13.5%11.4–15.8%15%
Hearing7.7%6.7–8.8%7.1%
Vision4.2%3.5–4.8%5%
Dressing or bathing3.3%2.8–3.9%3.7%
Errands alone7.2%6.1–8.5%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 Sweetser door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Indiana figure falls inside it, we don't call Sweetser better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Sweetser 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01