Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Indiana with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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Chris Light // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 25#25. Pulaski County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #84
--- Quality of life rank: #67
--- Length of life rank: #86
- Estimated county population: 12,388
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 25#24. Pike County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #52
--- Quality of life rank: #70
--- Length of life rank: #35
- Estimated county population: 12,378
Chris Light // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Starke County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #85
--- Quality of life rank: #73
--- Length of life rank: #84
- Estimated county population: 23,049
Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Owen County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #73
--- Quality of life rank: #74
--- Length of life rank: #72
- Estimated county population: 20,833
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 25#21. Randolph County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #78
--- Quality of life rank: #77
--- Length of life rank: #78
- Estimated county population: 24,191
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Yipdw // Wikicommons
6 / 25#20. Vigo County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #69
--- Quality of life rank: #78
--- Length of life rank: #58
- Estimated county population: 106,608
Randella // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25#19. Vanderburgh County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #71
--- Quality of life rank: #80
--- Length of life rank: #65
- Estimated county population: 182,447
#18. Knox County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #80
--- Quality of life rank: #81
--- Length of life rank: #79
- Estimated county population: 36,522
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Wayne County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #87
--- Quality of life rank: #83
--- Length of life rank: #90
- Estimated county population: 65,778
Chris Light // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 25#16. Jay County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #81
--- Quality of life rank: #85
--- Length of life rank: #77
- Estimated county population: 20,416
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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 25#15. Blackford County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #83
--- Quality of life rank: #88
--- Length of life rank: #76
- Estimated county population: 11,782
Paul J Everett // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Clinton County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
--- Quality of life rank: #48
--- Length of life rank: #53
- Estimated county population: 32,206
#13. Cass County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #67
--- Quality of life rank: #71
--- Length of life rank: #62
- Estimated county population: 37,388
Rdikeman // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Orange County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #74
--- Quality of life rank: #75
--- Length of life rank: #74
- Estimated county population: 19,651
MrHarman // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 25#10. Madison County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #75
--- Quality of life rank: #82
--- Length of life rank: #71
- Estimated county population: 129,681
Derek Jensen // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 25#9. Miami County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #63
--- Quality of life rank: #84
--- Length of life rank: #46
- Estimated county population: 35,328
Matt Ruddick // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 25#8. Delaware County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #86
--- Quality of life rank: #86
--- Length of life rank: #82
- Estimated county population: 113,454
Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 25#7. Fayette County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #91
--- Quality of life rank: #87
--- Length of life rank: #92
- Estimated county population: 22,892
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Scott County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #90
--- Quality of life rank: #89
--- Length of life rank: #91
- Estimated county population: 23,788
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Chris Light // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 25#5. Grant County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #89
--- Quality of life rank: #90
--- Length of life rank: #89
- Estimated county population: 65,225
Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 25#4. Switzerland County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #88
--- Quality of life rank: #91
--- Length of life rank: #87
- Estimated county population: 10,724
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 25#3. Crawford County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #92
--- Quality of life rank: #92
--- Length of life rank: #88
- Estimated county population: 10,629
#2. Lake County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #64
--- Quality of life rank: #62
--- Length of life rank: #68
- Estimated county population: 487,536
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25 / 25#1. Marion County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #82
--- Quality of life rank: #79
--- Length of life rank: #81
- Estimated county population: 966,183
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