Health · Baker
Baker, MT health
On every measure CDC estimates, Baker looks like Montana as a whole: no difference is outside the margin of error.
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for BakerTownTapestry Health GradeNew
B
Baker’s Health Grade: B
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Baker is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns.
BSelf-rated healthB-Physical distressCMental distressA-ObesityA-DiabetesB-SmokingB+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 61%
Less healthyHealthier
Montana towns we grade (93)Healthier than 47%
Towns with similar incomes, $64K–$106K (9,533)Healthier than 60%
About what its income would suggest. Baker does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Baker 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 Montana 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 Baker 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. Baker 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 Baker compares with Montana
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
31.5% have obesity
0 better12 close0 worse
Habits
23.4% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
69.7% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
30.3% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
11.4% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
31.7% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Baker adults…
32 of every 100 Baker adults have high blood pressure
Montana: 32 in 100 · too close to call · margin 27.8–36%
Bars show Baker; the black tick is Montana. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Baker, betterBaker, worseToo close to callMontana
Get no exerciseshare of adults
23.4% Baker
MT 20.6%
MT 20.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
32.5% Baker
MT 31.4%
MT 31.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults
20.8% Baker
MT 20.3%
MT 20.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
14.6% Baker
MT 13.6%
MT 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Baker adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
Yearly checkup
MT 72%Dentist visit
MT 63%Cholesterol check
MT 83%Colon screening
MT 64%Mammogram
MT 75%Taking BP meds
MT 73%1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Baker 9.1% · Montana 1 in 11 (9.3%)
Mind & connection
How Baker adults are doing
1 in 3Baker adults feel lonely
30.3% · Montana 30.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Baker adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.3% · Montana 24.9% · too close to call
1 in 5Baker adults lack social or emotional support
21.9% · Montana 21.2% · too close to call
1 in 6Baker adults are in frequent mental distress
18% · Montana 17.2% · 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 9
Baker adults worry about having enough food
11.4% · MT 11.7% · about the same
1 in 11
Baker adults worry about keeping their housing
9.2% · MT 9.1% · about the same
1 in 15
Baker adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.6% · MT 6.5% · about the same
1 in 14
Baker adults lack reliable transportation
7.2% · MT 7.5% · about the same
8.3% of Baker adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Disability
Living with a disability
31.7%
of Baker adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs13.5%
Thinking or memory14.9%
Hearing8.6%
Errands alone8.4%
Vision4.6%
Dressing or bathing3.6%
Black tick: Montana. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Baker
No hospital or community health center in Baker itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERFallon Medical Complex HospitalBaker · 4.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careBighorn Valley Health CenterGlendive · 55.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
55.7 mi
Bighorn Valley Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Glendive
One Health - GlendiveGlendive · 55.7 mi
One Health - Miles City Public HealthMiles City · 74 mi
One Health - Miles CityMiles City · 75.2 mi
One Health - MilliganMiles City · 75.2 mi
One Health - AshlandAshland · 109.6 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careBaker's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Fallon County · need score 7 of 25
✓ Dental careBaker is not a shortage area
! Mental healthBaker's county is a federal shortage area.Eastern Montana · need score 18 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 Baker. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Baker
| Measure | Baker | Margin | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 31.8% | 27.8–36% | 31.9% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 32.2% | 28.2–36.5% | 32.8% | about the same |
| Obesity | 31.5% | 24.5–39.4% | 31.4% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7% | 25.4–32.3% | 28.4% | about the same |
| Depression | 24.3% | 20.7–28.2% | 24.9% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 13.9% | 11.2–17% | 12.3% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.2% | 9.9–12.6% | 11.1% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.3% | 8.4–10.3% | 9.3% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 9.8% | 8.3–11.6% | 9.9% | about the same |
| COPD | 7.3% | 6.1–8.7% | 7% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 6.6% | 5.7–7.5% | 6.6% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.6% | 3.1–4.1% | 3.5% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6% | 11.7–17.7% | 13.6% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 20.8% | 17.4–24.6% | 20.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 23.4% | 19–28.4% | 20.6% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5% | 26.4–38.9% | 31.4% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 69.7% | 65.4–73.9% | 72.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 64.3% | 60.6–67.9% | 63.3% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 82% | 79.5–84.4% | 82.5% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 63.6% | 58.2–68.6% | 63.8% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 75.6% | 67.6–82.4% | 74.8% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 73.6% | 70.3–76.7% | 73.4% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 9.1% | 7.1–11.5% | 9.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 30.3% | 25.5–35.4% | 30.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 21.9% | 18.3–25.7% | 21.2% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18% | 15.8–20.5% | 17.2% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 18.6% | 15.6–21.8% | 18.3% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.3% | 12.4–16.5% | 14% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 11.4% | 9.1–14.1% | 11.7% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 9.2% | 7.5–11% | 9.1% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.6% | 5.5–7.7% | 6.5% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.2% | 6.1–8.4% | 7.5% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 8.3% | 6.4–10.4% | 8.3% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7% | 27.2–36.7% | 30.9% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 13.5% | 11.3–16% | 12.9% | |
| Thinking or memory | 14.9% | 12.7–17.3% | 14.3% | |
| Hearing | 8.6% | 7.6–9.8% | 8.6% | |
| Vision | 4.6% | 3.9–5.3% | 4.6% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.6% | 3.1–4.2% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 8.4% | 7.1–9.7% | 8% | |
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 Baker door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Montana figure falls inside it, we don't call Baker better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Baker directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Montana 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.