Health · Helena

Helena, OK health

Helena differs from Oklahoma on 9 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with depression (19.6% vs 25.5%) and fewer adults with asthma (9.5% vs 11.5%). Where it trails the state: more smokers (24.3% vs 16.3%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Helena

DHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Helena’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Helena is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns.

C-Self-rated healthCPhysical distressB+Mental distressD-ObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingDExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 15%

Less healthyHealthier

Oklahoma towns we grade (237)Healthier than 47%

Towns with similar incomes, $46K–$77K (8,477)Healthier than 19%

About what its income would suggest. Helena does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Helena 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 Oklahoma 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 Helena 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. Helena 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 Helena compares with Oklahoma

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 Helena adults…

47 of every 100 Helena adults have high blood pressure

Oklahoma: 39 in 100 · worse · margin 41.8–51.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Helena, betterHelena, worseToo close to callOklahoma

Get no exerciseshare of adults 34.3% Helena
OK 31.1%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 39.6% Helena
OK 36.8%

Binge drinkshare of adults 16.2% Helena
OK 14%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 24.3% Helena
OK 16.3%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

Yearly checkup

OK 78%

Dentist visit

OK 57%

Cholesterol check

OK 84%

Colon screening

OK 60%

Mammogram

OK 70%

Taking BP meds

OK 76%

1 in 8

working-age adults has no health insurance

Helena 13.3% · Oklahoma 1 in 9 (11.3%)

Mind & connection

How Helena adults are doing

1 in 3Helena adults feel lonely

30.2% · Oklahoma 33.1% · too close to call

1 in 5Helena adults have been diagnosed with depression

19.6% · Oklahoma 25.5% · better

1 in 3Helena adults lack social or emotional support

29.5% · Oklahoma 25.2% · too close to call

1 in 6Helena adults are in frequent mental distress

16.1% · Oklahoma 18% · 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 5

Helena adults worry about having enough food

20.6% · OK 18.5% · about the same

1 in 6

Helena adults worry about keeping their housing

16.2% · OK 14.1% · about the same

1 in 8

Helena adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

12.8% · OK 10.3% · worse

1 in 10

Helena adults lack reliable transportation

10.1% · OK 9.6% · about the same

16.9% of Helena adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.1% across Oklahoma.

Disability

Living with a disability

38.8%

of Helena adults live with a disability (Oklahoma 38.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs17.7%

Thinking or memory16.7%

Hearing10.1%

Errands alone8.7%

Vision6.4%

Dressing or bathing5.3%

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

Around Helena

Helena and the towns around it

Care nearby

Fairview Regional Medical Center AuthorityFairview · 21.9 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Integris Health Enid HospitalEnid · 24 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

St. Mary's Regional Medical CenterEnid · 24.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Share Medical CenterAlva · 27.7 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Gsp Health CherokeeCherokee · 15.1 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Mary Mahoney Hlth Ctr @ LangstonCoyle · 70.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careHelena's county is a federal shortage area.Alfalfa County · need score 10 of 25

✓ Dental careHelena is not a shortage area

! Mental healthHelena's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 10/Northwest Center for Behavioral Health · need score 19 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 Helena. 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 Helena

Measure	Helena	Margin	Oklahoma
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	46.9%	41.8–51.8%	38.5%	worse
High cholesterol	40%	35.1–44.8%	37.7%	about the same
Obesity	46%	36.8–55.3%	38.9%	about the same
Arthritis	27.4%	23.9–31.1%	27.8%	about the same
Depression	19.6%	16.4–23.2%	25.5%	better
Lost all teeth (65+)	17.8%	14.5–21.1%	16.4%	about the same
Asthma	9.5%	8.3–10.9%	11.5%	better
Cancer (not skin)	6.9%	6.2–7.8%	7.8%	about the same
Diabetes	15.9%	13.7–18.4%	12.8%	worse
COPD	8.8%	7.3–10.5%	8%	about the same
Heart disease	8.7%	7.5–9.9%	7.3%	worse
Stroke	4.2%	3.7–4.8%	3.7%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	24.3%	19.6–29%	16.3%	worse
Binge drink	16.2%	13.3–19.6%	14%	about the same
Get no exercise	34.3%	27.9–40.7%	31.1%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	39.6%	32.5–46.2%	36.8%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	75.7%	71.6–79.6%	77.9%	about the same
Dentist visit	52.2%	48.2–55.7%	57.1%	worse
Cholesterol check	84.6%	81.8–87.2%	84.3%	about the same
Colon screening	53.9%	48.5–58.8%	59.7%	worse
Mammogram	65.3%	55.5–73.4%	70.4%	about the same
Taking BP meds	75%	71.2–78.6%	76.3%	about the same
No health insurance	13.3%	10.2–17.1%	11.3%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	30.2%	25.1–36%	33.1%	about the same
Lack emotional support	29.5%	25–34.7%	25.2%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	16.1%	13.9–18.4%	18%	about the same
Fair or poor health	25%	20.6–29.8%	21.2%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	15.5%	13.2–18%	14.3%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	20.6%	16.5–25.3%	18.5%	about the same
Housing insecurity	16.2%	13.4–19.5%	14.1%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	12.8%	10.8–15%	10.3%	worse
No reliable transportation	10.1%	8.5–12%	9.6%	about the same
Receive SNAP	16.9%	13.2–21%	15.1%
Disability
Any disability	38.8%	32.9–44.8%	38.9%
Walking or climbing stairs	17.7%	14.8–20.9%	17.1%
Thinking or memory	16.7%	14–19.7%	17.3%
Hearing	10.1%	8.8–11.6%	9.1%
Vision	6.4%	5.4–7.5%	6%
Dressing or bathing	5.3%	4.4–6.3%	4.3%
Errands alone	8.7%	7.3–10.3%	9.6%

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 Helena door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Oklahoma figure falls inside it, we don't call Helena better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Helena directly, so these are its own figures.

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