Health · Pender
Pender, NE health
Pender differs from Nebraska on 14 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (82.7% vs 77.5%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (9.9% vs 6.1%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for PenderTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C
Pender’s Health Grade: C
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Pender is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns.
CSelf-rated healthC+Physical distressA-Mental distressDObesityC-DiabetesC-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 29%
Less healthyHealthier
Nebraska towns we grade (138)Healthier than 3%
Towns with similar incomes, $55K–$91K (9,792)Healthier than 28%
About what its income would suggest. Pender does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Pender could be anywhere from D to B.
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 Nebraska 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 Pender 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. Pender 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 Pender 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
42.7% have obesity
0 better4 close8 worse
Habits
31.5% get no exercise
0 better2 close2 worse
Care & screenings
78.4% had a checkup
1 better5 close1 worse
Mind & connection
30% feel lonely
0 better3 close2 worse
Everyday needs
15% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
36.6% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Pender adults…
42 of every 100 Pender adults have high blood pressure
Nebraska: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 38.1–45.9%
Bars show Pender; the black tick is Nebraska. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Pender, betterPender, worseToo close to callNebraska
Get no exerciseshare of adults
31.5% Pender
NE 24.3%
NE 24.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
29.8% Pender
NE 31.3%
NE 31.3%
Binge drinkshare of adults
17.3% Pender
NE 19.7%
NE 19.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
17.3% Pender
NE 13.2%
NE 13.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Pender adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
Yearly checkup
NE 76%Dentist visit
NE 64%Cholesterol check
NE 84%Colon screening
NE 62%Mammogram
NE 75%Taking BP meds
NE 78%1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Pender 10% · Nebraska 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection
How Pender adults are doing
1 in 3Pender adults feel lonely
30% · Nebraska 29.3% · too close to call
1 in 6Pender adults have been diagnosed with depression
17.5% · Nebraska 18.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Pender adults lack social or emotional support
20.6% · Nebraska 20.5% · too close to call
1 in 7Pender adults are in frequent mental distress
14.6% · 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 7
Pender adults worry about having enough food
15% · NE 12.3% · about the same
1 in 10
Pender adults worry about keeping their housing
9.9% · NE 9.5% · about the same
1 in 13
Pender adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.6% · NE 6.4% · about the same
1 in 13
Pender adults lack reliable transportation
7.8% · NE 6.7% · about the same
12.4% of Pender adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Disability
Living with a disability
36.6%
of Pender adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs18.2%
Thinking or memory13.9%
Hearing11.5%
Errands alone9.9%
Vision6.3%
Dressing or bathing4.8%
Black tick: Nebraska. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Pender
No hospital or community health center in Pender itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERPender Community HospitalPender · 1.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMidtown Health CenterWest Point · 17.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
17.5 mi
Midtown Health Center
5 sites · nearest in West Point
Midtown Health Center, Inc. West PointWest Point · 17.5 mi
Midtown Health Center - Wayne State CollegeWayne · 17.7 mi
Midtown Health Center - Vets HomeNorfolk · 35.5 mi
Midtown Health CenterNorfolk · 36.3 mi
Midtown XpressNorfolk · 36.3 mi
28 mi
Siouxland Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in South Sioux City
Siouxland Community Health of NebraskaSouth Sioux City · 28 mi
Siouxland Community Health CenterSioux City · 31.2 mi
Siouxland Community Health Women's ClinicSioux City · 31.3 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary carePender's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Thurston/Dakota Counties · need score 14 of 25
! Dental carePender's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Thurston County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthPender'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 Pender. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Pender
| Measure | Pender | Margin | Nebraska | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 42% | 38.1–45.9% | 32.6% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 36.5% | 32.7–40.6% | 33% | about the same |
| Obesity | 42.7% | 36.5–49.2% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4% | 27.1–33.6% | 24% | worse |
| Depression | 17.5% | 14.9–20.4% | 18.3% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 15.6% | 12.9–18.4% | 12.4% | worse |
| Asthma | 9.7% | 8.5–10.9% | 9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 11% | 9.8–12.3% | 8.3% | worse |
| Diabetes | 14.2% | 12.1–16.3% | 10.7% | worse |
| COPD | 9.9% | 8.1–11.9% | 6.1% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.3% | 8.1–10.7% | 6.1% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.8% | 4.1–5.7% | 3.1% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.3% | 14.2–20.6% | 13.2% | worse |
| Binge drink | 17.3% | 14.6–20.4% | 19.7% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 31.5% | 26.5–36.9% | 24.3% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8% | 24.6–35.4% | 31.3% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.4% | 75.2–81.6% | 75.9% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 59.8% | 56.1–63.5% | 64.3% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 83.8% | 81.5–86.1% | 83.7% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 60.7% | 55.4–65.7% | 62.3% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 71.7% | 63.6–78.3% | 75% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 82.7% | 80.4–84.8% | 77.5% | better |
| No health insurance | 10% | 7.5–12.5% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 30% | 25.3–35.2% | 29.3% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 20.6% | 17.5–24.4% | 20.5% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 14.6% | 12.7–16.5% | 14.1% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 21.8% | 18.3–25.8% | 16.1% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.9% | 12.9–17.1% | 11.6% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 15% | 12.1–18.7% | 12.3% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 9.9% | 8.1–12% | 9.5% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.6% | 6.4–9.1% | 6.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.8% | 6.6–9.3% | 6.7% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 12.4% | 9.6–15.7% | 8.5% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.6% | 31.9–41.3% | 27.4% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 18.2% | 15.3–21.4% | 12% | |
| Thinking or memory | 13.9% | 11.8–16% | 12.1% | |
| Hearing | 11.5% | 10–13% | 7.3% | |
| Vision | 6.3% | 5.3–7.6% | 4.4% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.8% | 4–5.8% | 3.2% | |
| Errands alone | 9.9% | 8.3–11.8% | 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 Pender door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Nebraska figure falls inside it, we don't call Pender better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Pender 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.