Health · Howells

Howells, NE health

On most measures Howells looks like Nebraska as a whole. It has more adults screened for colon cancer (68.3% vs 62.3%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (80.8% vs 77.5%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (16% vs 12.4%).

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

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 517 people are less certain, so we show Howells's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Howells compares with Nebraska

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 Howells adults…

33 of every 100 Howells adults have high blood pressure
Nebraska: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 29.2–37.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Howells, betterHowells, worseToo close to callNebraska
Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.7% Howells
NE 24.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 28.9% Howells
NE 31.3%
Binge drinkshare of adults 18.9% Howells
NE 19.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 13.1% Howells
NE 13.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76%
Yearly checkup
NE 76%
67%
Dentist visit
NE 64%
85%
Cholesterol check
NE 84%
68%
Colon screening
NE 62%
78%
Mammogram
NE 75%
81%
Taking BP meds
NE 78%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Howells 8.1% · Nebraska 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Howells adults are doing

1 in 4Howells adults feel lonely
28.4% · Nebraska 29.3% · too close to call
1 in 6Howells adults have been diagnosed with depression
16.4% · Nebraska 18.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Howells adults lack social or emotional support
19.3% · Nebraska 20.5% · too close to call
1 in 7Howells adults are in frequent mental distress
13.4% · Nebraska 14.1% · 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
Howells adults worry about having enough food
10.2% · NE 12.3% · about the same
1 in 13
Howells adults worry about keeping their housing
7.8% · NE 9.5% · about the same
1 in 19
Howells adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.4% · NE 6.4% · about the same
1 in 17
Howells adults lack reliable transportation
5.8% · NE 6.7% · about the same

7.2% of Howells adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.

Disability

Living with a disability

27.9%

of Howells adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13.5%
Thinking or memory11.7%
Hearing8.7%
Errands alone7.2%
Vision4.3%
Dressing or bathing3.4%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Howells

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

HNearest ERSt. Francis Memorial HospitalWest Point · 17.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyColumbus Community Hospital★★★★★ · 27.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMidtown Health CenterWest Point · 17.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
17.4 mi
St. Francis Memorial Hospital
West Point · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
17.8 mi
Midtown Health Center
7 sites · nearest in West Point
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.9 mi
Chi Health Schuyler
Schuyler · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.6 mi
East Central District Health Department/Good Neighbor Community Health Center
Columbus · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
27.1 mi
Columbus Community Hospital
Columbus · ★★★★★
ER
31.3 mi
Faith Health
Norfolk · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careHowells's county is a federal shortage area.Colfax County · need score 12 of 25
✓ Dental careHowells is not a shortage area
! Mental healthHowells's county is a federal shortage area.Catchment Area 4 · 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 Howells. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Howells
MeasureHowellsMarginNebraska
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure33.3%29.2–37.2%32.6%about the same
High cholesterol35.1%31–39.4%33%about the same
Obesity35.2%28.4–42.4%37.7%about the same
Arthritis26.4%23.2–29.7%24%about the same
Depression16.4%13.7–19.3%18.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)16%12.9–19.3%12.4%worse
Asthma9.1%8–10.3%9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10%9–11.1%8.3%worse
Diabetes11.5%9.7–13.3%10.7%about the same
COPD7%5.6–8.4%6.1%about the same
Heart disease7.1%6–8.1%6.1%about the same
Stroke3.6%3.1–4.2%3.1%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes13.1%10.5–15.9%13.2%about the same
Binge drink18.9%15.8–22.2%19.7%about the same
Get no exercise25.7%20.8–30.5%24.3%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours28.9%23–35.2%31.3%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup75.8%72.2–79.3%75.9%about the same
Dentist visit67.1%63.5–70.5%64.3%about the same
Cholesterol check84.9%82.6–87%83.7%about the same
Colon screening68.3%62.7–73.1%62.3%better
Mammogram77.6%69.6–83.9%75%about the same
Taking BP meds80.8%78–83.4%77.5%better
No health insurance8.1%6.1–10.6%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely28.4%23.7–33.2%29.3%about the same
Lack emotional support19.3%16–22.9%20.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress13.4%11.6–15.4%14.1%about the same
Fair or poor health15.5%12.7–18.4%16.1%about the same
Frequent physical distress12.3%10.4–14.2%11.6%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity10.2%7.9–12.7%12.3%about the same
Housing insecurity7.8%6.2–9.5%9.5%about the same
Utility shut-off threat5.4%4.4–6.4%6.4%about the same
No reliable transportation5.8%4.8–6.8%6.7%about the same
Receive SNAP7.2%5.4–9.3%8.5%
Disability
Any disability27.9%23.6–32.5%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs13.5%11.1–16.1%12%
Thinking or memory11.7%9.9–13.7%12.1%
Hearing8.7%7.5–9.9%7.3%
Vision4.3%3.7–5.2%4.4%
Dressing or bathing3.4%2.8–4%3.2%
Errands alone7.2%6–8.6%6.9%
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 Howells door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Nebraska figure falls inside it, we don't call Howells better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Howells directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Nebraska 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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