Here's where Hoosiers fell in a study of key categories related to housing, education, health

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute’s County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program recently released its annual National Findings Report, comparing data across the country, including Indiana. See how the Hoosiers compare to national data in categories from housing to education to environment.

Here's what we know:

Smoking

According to the 2024 National Findings Report, 18% of Indiana adults actively smoke cigarettes, ranging from 10% to 25% by county. Nationally, 15% of adults smoke cigarettes.

In 2023, 20% of Indiana adults were cigarette smokers, compared to 16% nationally.

Adult obesity

37% of Indiana adults had a BMI of 30 or greater, according to the recent data. It ranged by county from 29% to 43%. Nationally, 34% of adults had a BMI of 30 or more.

According to the 2023 results, 37% of Indiana adults had a BMI of 30 or greater, compared to 32% nationally.

Physical inactivity

25% of Indiana adults report physical inactivity, meaning no physical activity outside of work, according to the 2024 report. It ranged from 17% to 33%, by county. Nationally, 23% of adults report physical inactivity.

The 2023 data revealed 26% of adults in Indiana were physically inactive, compared to 22% nationally.

Alcohol-impaired driving deaths

According to the 2024 findings, 18% of motor vehicle crash deaths involved alcohol in Indiana, ranging from 0% to 44% of crash deaths by county. Nationally, 26% of motor vehicle crash deaths involved alcohol.

Only 19% of motor vehicle crash deaths involved alcohol in Indiana, according to the 2023 data, compared to 27% in the U.S.

Sexually transmitted infections

Indiana exceeds the national average in sexually transmitted infections. According to the 2024 report, 510.7 new cases of chlamydia were diagnosed per 100,000 people in Indiana, going from 83.2 to 1,102.7 new cases per 100,000 people across state counties. Nationally, 495.5 new cases of chlamydia were diagnosed per 100,000 people.

In 2023, 495.7 new cases of chlamydia were diagnosed per 100,000 people in Indiana, compared to 481.3 per 100,000 people in the U.S.

Teen births

According to the 2024 analysis, there were 20 teen births per 1,000 females ages 15-19 in Indiana. This ranged from 4 to 40 births for females ages 15-19 across counties. Nationally, there were 17 teen births per 1,000 females ages 15-19.

For ages 15-19, there were 23 teen births per 1,000 females in Indiana, above the national average, according to the 2023 results. In the U.S., there were 19 teen births per 1,000 females in the same age range.

Healthcare services

In Indiana, the number of physicians and healthcare providers are slim compared to nationally. The 2024 data revealed the state has one primary care physician per 1,520 people, one dentist per 1,680 people and one mental health provider per 500 people. Furthermore, 3,135 hospital stays per 100,000 people may have been preventable.

Nationally, there's one primary care physician per 1,330, one dentist per 1,360 and one mental health provider per 320 people. Additionally, only 2,681 hospital stays per 100,000 people may have been preventable.

In 2023, Indiana had one primary care physician per 1,500 people, one dentist per 1,700 people and one mental health provider per 530 people. In the U.S., there was one primary care physician per 1,310, one dentist per 1,380 and one mental health provider per 340 people.

Food insecurity

In Indiana, 11% of residents are without a reliable food source, according to the 2024 data. By county, it varied from 6% to 15%. Nationally, 10% of people face food insecurity.

In 2023, Indiana was below the national average, with 11% of people without a reliable food source. Nationally, 12% were without a reliable food source.

Drug overdose deaths

Drug overdose deaths in Indiana, as reported in the 2024 findings, are 34 per 100,000 people. It varies from 8 to 88 deaths per 100,000 by county. Nationally, there are 27 overdose deaths per 100,000 people.

As revealed by the 2023 data, Indiana had 28 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 23 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people nationally.

Education

The 2024 report indicates that 90% of Indiana adults 25 or older have a high school degree, or equivalent, such as the GED. It ranged by county from 61% to 97% of adults. Nationally, 89% of adults 25+ have a high school degree or equivalent.

For college, 63% of Hoosiers completed some post-secondary education, including vocational/technical schools, junior colleges or four-year colleges, compared to 68% nationally.

90% of Indiana adults had a high school degree or equivalent in the 2023 data, with 89% nationally. As for college, only 63% of Indiana adults had completed some type of post-secondary education, compared to 67% in the U.S.

Median household income

According to the 2024 analysis, the median household income in Indiana is $66,800, with $74,800 as the national average.

The median household income in Indiana for the 2023 results was $62,700, compared to $69,700 in the U.S.

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Voter Turnout

The 2024 data indicated below-average voter turnout in Indiana. 61.5% of the Indiana citizen population who were 18 years old or older voted in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, varying from 40.5% to 84.5% across counties in the state. Nationally, 67.9% of citizens voted in the 2020 election.

2023 data for voter turnout was the same as 2024, as it was based off the 2020 presidential election.

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Air Pollution

As indicated in the 2024 report, Indiana saw an annual average of 8.8 micrograms per cubic meter of fine particulate matter measured in the air, ranging from 6.9 to 12.6 micrograms per cubic meter across state counties. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has primary annual average standards of 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter. Nationally, the country saw 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter.

The 2023 report revealed the same data as 2024.

Homeownership

According to the 2024 report, 70% of housing units in Indiana were owner-occupied. This ranged from 53% to 86% of housing units by county. Nationally, 65% of housing units were occupied.

The homeownership statistics for 2023 were the same as 2024.