Health · Wells
Wells, OH health
Wells differs from Ohio on 18 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (12.2% vs 8%) and more adults with heart disease (9.8% vs 7.1%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 43943, 43938, 43913TownTapestry Health GradeNew
D−
Wells’s Health Grade: D−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Wells is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns.
C-Self-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressD-ObesityDDiabetesDSmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 5%
Less healthyHealthier
Ohio towns we grade (1,692)Healthier than 5%
Towns with similar incomes, $37K–$61K (4,927)Healthier than 12%
About what its income would suggest. Wells does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Wells could be anywhere from D− to C−.
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 Wells 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. Wells’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. 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 Wells 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
44.7% have obesity
0 better3 close9 worse
Habits
34.8% get no exercise
0 better1 close3 worse
Care & screenings
80.3% had a checkup
0 better6 close1 worse
Mind & connection
36.1% feel lonely
0 better2 close3 worse
Everyday needs
17% face food insecurity
0 better3 close2 worse
Disability
37.5% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Wells adults…
44 of every 100 Wells adults have high blood pressure
Ohio: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 40.6–48%
Bars show Wells; the black tick is Ohio. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Wells, betterWells, worseToo close to callOhio
Get no exerciseshare of adults
34.8% Wells
OH 26.9%
OH 26.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
43.5% Wells
OH 37.9%
OH 37.9%
Binge drinkshare of adults
14.2% Wells
OH 16.6%
OH 16.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
21.1% Wells
OH 15.4%
OH 15.4%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Wells 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
Wells 8.8% · Ohio 1 in 13 (8%)
Mind & connection
How Wells adults are doing
1 in 3Wells adults feel lonely
36.1% · Ohio 35% · too close to call
1 in 3Wells adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.9% · Ohio 25.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Wells adults lack social or emotional support
21.6% · Ohio 21.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Wells adults are in frequent mental distress
19.7% · Ohio 17.5% · worse
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
Wells adults worry about having enough food
17% · OH 14.1% · worse
1 in 8
Wells adults worry about keeping their housing
12.2% · OH 11.3% · about the same
1 in 11
Wells adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.5% · OH 8.3% · about the same
1 in 11
Wells adults lack reliable transportation
8.9% · OH 7.7% · worse
15.9% of Wells adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Disability
Living with a disability
37.5%
of Wells adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs19.5%
Thinking or memory16.9%
Hearing9.1%
Errands alone10.7%
Vision6.4%
Dressing or bathing5.3%
Black tick: Ohio. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Around Wells
Wells and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Wells.
39.4%44.7%· darker is worse for health
Obesity
#22 of 22towns on this map, healthiest first
Wellsburg41.1%
Beech Bottom41.3%
Cross Creek42.3%
Smithfield42.3%
Steubenville44.4%
New Alexandria44.5%
Warren44.6%
Wells44.7%
Care nearby
Trinity Medical Ctr East &trinity Medical Ctr WestSteubenville · 7.1 mi · ★★★★★ · ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
East Ohio Regional HospitalMartins Ferry · 12.1 mi · ★★★★★
DirectionsMedicare profile
Weirton Medical CenterWeirton · 12.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
Wheeling HospitalWheeling · 14.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
Family Medical Care Community Health Center - Jefferson CountySteubenville · 7.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees
Directions
Southeast, Inc. - Martins Ferry Health CenterMartins Ferry · 12.3 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees
Directions
! Primary careWells's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Jefferson County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careWells's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Jefferson County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthWells's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Jefferson County · need score 16 of 25
Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Wells. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
All 40 measures for Wells
| Measure | Wells | Margin | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 44.4% | 40.6–48% | 37.2% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 39.9% | 36.1–43.7% | 36.7% | about the same |
| Obesity | 44.7% | 38.8–50.6% | 37.1% | worse |
| Arthritis | 37.5% | 34.3–40.8% | 29.8% | worse |
| Depression | 28.9% | 25.3–32.5% | 25.4% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 19.6% | 16.6–23% | 15.3% | worse |
| Asthma | 12.2% | 10.8–13.6% | 11.1% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 10.3% | 9.3–11.3% | 8.7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 16.8% | 14.8–18.8% | 13.2% | worse |
| COPD | 12.2% | 10.9–13.6% | 8% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.8% | 8.8–10.8% | 7.1% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3% | 3.7% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.1% | 18.3–23.9% | 15.4% | worse |
| Binge drink | 14.2% | 11.8–16.8% | 16.6% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 34.8% | 30.2–39.3% | 26.9% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.5% | 38.7–48.6% | 37.9% | worse |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 80.3% | 77.4–83.2% | 79.9% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 58.3% | 55.1–61.6% | 62.9% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 85.7% | 83.9–87.4% | 86.1% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 63.4% | 59.2–67.7% | 65.2% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 71.6% | 64.8–77.9% | 76% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 81.7% | 79.2–83.8% | 79.2% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 8.8% | 7.3–10.6% | 8% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 36.1% | 31.2–41.3% | 35% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 21.6% | 18.4–25.1% | 21.3% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 19.7% | 17.6–21.8% | 17.5% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 25.4% | 22.4–28.5% | 19.4% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 18.3% | 16.3–20.3% | 13.9% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 17% | 14.3–19.8% | 14.1% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 12.2% | 10.4–14.2% | 11.3% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 9.5% | 8.2–11% | 8.3% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8.9% | 7.8–10.2% | 7.7% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 15.9% | 13.4–18.6% | 11.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.5% | 33.3–41.6% | 29.5% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 19.5% | 17.2–21.8% | 13.9% | |
| Thinking or memory | 16.9% | 14.9–18.9% | 13.9% | |
| Hearing | 9.1% | 8.1–10.1% | 6.8% | |
| Vision | 6.4% | 5.7–7% | 4.8% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 5.3% | 4.7–5.8% | 3.8% | |
| Errands alone | 10.7% | 9.6–12% | 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 Wells door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Ohio figure falls inside it, we don't call Wells better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Wells by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Wells by how much of its land each one covers.
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.