Health · Polk
Polk, OH health
On most measures Polk looks like Ohio as a whole. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (10% vs 8%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (19% vs 15.3%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for PolkTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C−
Polk’s Health Grade: C−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Polk is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns.
CSelf-rated healthC-Physical distressCMental distressCObesityC-DiabetesC-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 19%
Less healthyHealthier
Ohio towns we grade (1,692)Healthier than 29%
Towns with similar incomes, $57K–$96K (9,861)Healthier than 11%
About what its income would suggest. Polk does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Polk 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 Ohio 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 Polk 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. Polk 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 Polk compares with Ohio
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
39.6% have obesity
0 better10 close2 worse
Habits
31.8% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
78.7% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
33.8% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
15.7% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
33.6% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Polk adults…
40 of every 100 Polk adults have high blood pressure
Ohio: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 35.5–43.9%
Bars show Polk; the black tick is Ohio. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Polk, betterPolk, worseToo close to callOhio
Get no exerciseshare of adults
31.8% Polk
OH 26.9%
OH 26.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
33.7% Polk
OH 37.9%
OH 37.9%
Binge drinkshare of adults
17% Polk
OH 16.6%
OH 16.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
19.3% Polk
OH 15.4%
OH 15.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Polk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
Yearly checkup
OH 80%Dentist visit
OH 63%Cholesterol check
OH 86%Colon screening
OH 65%Mammogram
OH 76%Taking BP meds
OH 79%1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Polk 9.3% · Ohio 1 in 13 (8%)
Mind & connection
How Polk adults are doing
1 in 3Polk adults feel lonely
33.8% · Ohio 35% · too close to call
1 in 4Polk adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.1% · Ohio 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Polk adults lack social or emotional support
20.5% · Ohio 21.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Polk adults are in frequent mental distress
19% · Ohio 17.5% · 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 6
Polk adults worry about having enough food
15.7% · OH 14.1% · about the same
1 in 9
Polk adults worry about keeping their housing
11.7% · OH 11.3% · about the same
1 in 11
Polk adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.9% · OH 8.3% · about the same
1 in 12
Polk adults lack reliable transportation
8.4% · OH 7.7% · about the same
14.3% of Polk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Disability
Living with a disability
33.6%
of Polk adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs15.9%
Thinking or memory16%
Hearing7.9%
Errands alone9.6%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing4.3%
Black tick: Ohio. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Polk
No hospital or community health center in Polk itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERLodi Community HospitalLodi · 11.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careThird Street Community ClinicAshland · 7.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.2 mi
Third Street Community Clinic
6 sites · nearest in Ashland
9th Street DentalAshland · 7.2 mi
Ashland Health and WellnessAshland · 7.7 mi
Five Points Primary CareMansfield · 21 mi
Third Street Community ClinicMansfield · 21.5 mi
Mansfield Family Health 2Mansfield · 22 mi
Cornerstone Ob/GynMansfield · 23.2 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary carePolk's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Ashland County · need score 11 of 25
! Dental carePolk's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Ashland County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthPolk's county is a federal shortage area.Ashland County · need score 14 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 Polk. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Polk
| Measure | Polk | Margin | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 39.6% | 35.5–43.9% | 37.2% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 37.1% | 33–41.5% | 36.7% | about the same |
| Obesity | 39.6% | 31.9–47.6% | 37.1% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 32% | 28.5–35.6% | 29.8% | about the same |
| Depression | 27.1% | 23.3–31.2% | 25.4% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 19% | 15.7–22.7% | 15.3% | worse |
| Asthma | 11.2% | 9.9–12.7% | 11.1% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.2% | 8.2–10.2% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6% | 11.6–15.8% | 13.2% | about the same |
| COPD | 10% | 8.1–12.1% | 8% | worse |
| Heart disease | 8% | 6.9–9.2% | 7.1% | about the same |
| Stroke | 4% | 3.4–4.6% | 3.7% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.3% | 15.4–23.8% | 15.4% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 17% | 14–20.2% | 16.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 31.8% | 26.5–38.3% | 26.9% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.7% | 27.8–39.9% | 37.9% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.7% | 75–82.1% | 79.9% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 61.7% | 58.2–65.2% | 62.9% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 83.7% | 80.9–86.4% | 86.1% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 64.1% | 59.1–68.9% | 65.2% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 76.5% | 69.6–82.8% | 76% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.2% | 75.4–80.7% | 79.2% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 9.3% | 6.7–12.4% | 8% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33.8% | 28.5–39.8% | 35% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 20.5% | 17–24.5% | 21.3% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 19% | 16.4–21.8% | 17.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 22.4% | 18.5–26.8% | 19.4% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 16% | 13.7–18.7% | 13.9% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 15.7% | 11.9–19.8% | 14.1% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 11.7% | 9.2–14.4% | 11.3% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 8.9% | 7.2–10.7% | 8.3% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8.4% | 6.8–10.1% | 7.7% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 14.3% | 10.8–18.3% | 11.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6% | 28.7–39.3% | 29.5% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 15.9% | 13.1–19.1% | 13.9% | |
| Thinking or memory | 16% | 13.3–19.1% | 13.9% | |
| Hearing | 7.9% | 6.8–9% | 6.8% | |
| Vision | 5.5% | 4.5–6.5% | 4.8% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.3% | 3.6–5.3% | 3.8% | |
| Errands alone | 9.6% | 7.9–11.5% | 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 Polk door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Ohio figure falls inside it, we don't call Polk better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Polk directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Ohio 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.