Health · Colstrip
Colstrip, MT health
On most measures Colstrip looks like Montana as a whole. It has fewer adults with heart disease (5.2% vs 6.6%) and fewer adults who have had a stroke (2.8% vs 3.5%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for ColstripTownTapestry Health GradeNew
B+
Colstrip’s Health Grade: B+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Colstrip is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns and 60% of Montana towns.
A-Self-rated healthB+Physical distressC+Mental distressBObesityADiabetesB-SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 70%
Less healthyHealthier
Montana towns we grade (93)Healthier than 60%
Towns with similar incomes, $62K–$103K (9,662)Healthier than 76%
About what its income would suggest. Colstrip does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Colstrip 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 Colstrip 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. Colstrip 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 Colstrip 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
35.4% have obesity
4 better8 close0 worse
Habits
18.8% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
69.7% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
32.6% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
11.3% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
27.6% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Colstrip adults…
32 of every 100 Colstrip adults have high blood pressure
Montana: 32 in 100 · too close to call · margin 28.7–36.5%
Bars show Colstrip; the black tick is Montana. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Colstrip, betterColstrip, worseToo close to callMontana
Get no exerciseshare of adults
18.8% Colstrip
MT 20.6%
MT 20.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
32.3% Colstrip
MT 31.4%
MT 31.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults
22.2% Colstrip
MT 20.3%
MT 20.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
14.4% Colstrip
MT 13.6%
MT 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Colstrip 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 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Colstrip 8.1% · Montana 1 in 11 (9.3%)
Mind & connection
How Colstrip adults are doing
1 in 3Colstrip adults feel lonely
32.6% · Montana 30.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Colstrip adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.9% · Montana 24.9% · too close to call
1 in 4Colstrip adults lack social or emotional support
23.1% · Montana 21.2% · too close to call
1 in 6Colstrip adults are in frequent mental distress
17.8% · 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
Colstrip adults worry about having enough food
11.3% · MT 11.7% · about the same
1 in 10
Colstrip adults worry about keeping their housing
9.6% · MT 9.1% · about the same
1 in 15
Colstrip adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.7% · MT 6.5% · about the same
1 in 14
Colstrip adults lack reliable transportation
7.4% · MT 7.5% · about the same
7.2% of Colstrip adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Disability
Living with a disability
27.6%
of Colstrip adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs10.7%
Thinking or memory13.8%
Hearing6.8%
Errands alone7%
Vision3.9%
Dressing or bathing3.1%
Black tick: Montana. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Colstrip
No hospital or community health center in Colstrip itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERRosebud Health Care CenterForsyth · 26.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careBighorn Valley Health CenterAshland · 27.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
27.2 mi
Bighorn Valley Health Center
7 sites · nearest in Ashland
One Health - AshlandAshland · 27.2 mi
One Health - CampusHardin · 48.2 mi
One Health - BighornHardin · 48.4 mi
One Health - Hardin ClinicHardin · 49 mi
One Health - Miles CityMiles City · 51.1 mi
One Health - MilliganMiles City · 51.4 mi
One Health - Miles City Public HealthMiles City · 52 mi
40.2 mi
P H S Indian Hospital Crow / Northern Cheyenne
Crow Agency · not rated
Nothing matches.
! Primary careColstrip's county is a federal shortage area.Rosebud County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careColstrip's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rosebud County · need score 19 of 25
! Mental healthColstrip'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 Colstrip. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Colstrip
| Measure | Colstrip | Margin | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 32.4% | 28.7–36.5% | 31.9% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 29.8% | 26.3–33.8% | 32.8% | about the same |
| Obesity | 35.4% | 29.3–42.2% | 31.4% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 26.1% | 23–29.5% | 28.4% | about the same |
| Depression | 23.9% | 20.5–27.7% | 24.9% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 11.4% | 9.2–14% | 12.3% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.7% | 10.3–13.2% | 11.1% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7.9% | 7.1–8.8% | 9.3% | better |
| Diabetes | 9% | 7.6–10.5% | 9.9% | about the same |
| COPD | 5.9% | 4.8–6.9% | 7% | better |
| Heart disease | 5.2% | 4.5–5.9% | 6.6% | better |
| Stroke | 2.8% | 2.5–3.2% | 3.5% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4% | 11.8–17.5% | 13.6% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 22.2% | 18.8–26.2% | 20.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 18.8% | 15.4–22.9% | 20.6% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.3% | 26.7–38.4% | 31.4% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 69.7% | 65.8–73.9% | 72.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 66.7% | 63.3–70.1% | 63.3% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 83.3% | 81–85.5% | 82.5% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 64.2% | 59.5–68.9% | 63.8% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 78.7% | 71.8–84.6% | 74.8% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 69.9% | 66.3–73.6% | 73.4% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 8.1% | 6.4–9.9% | 9.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 32.6% | 27.9–37.9% | 30.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 23.1% | 19.7–27.2% | 21.2% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 17.8% | 15.5–20.2% | 17.2% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 16.2% | 13.6–18.9% | 18.3% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 13.1% | 11.3–15.2% | 14% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 11.3% | 9.2–13.9% | 11.7% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 9.6% | 7.9–11.5% | 9.1% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.7% | 5.6–8% | 6.5% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.4% | 6.3–8.6% | 7.5% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 7.2% | 5.6–9% | 8.3% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6% | 23.6–32.1% | 30.9% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 10.7% | 9–12.7% | 12.9% | |
| Thinking or memory | 13.8% | 11.9–15.9% | 14.3% | |
| Hearing | 6.8% | 5.9–7.7% | 8.6% | |
| Vision | 3.9% | 3.4–4.4% | 4.6% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.1% | 2.6–3.6% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 7% | 6–8.1% | 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 Colstrip door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Montana figure falls inside it, we don't call Colstrip better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Colstrip 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.