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Allison IowaPhoto: Billwhittaker · Public domain
–Not graded
Health in Allison · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Allison residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Allison, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Allison. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Allison

Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Allison

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 8.7% across Iowa. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.6%), vs 6.6% across Iowa. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.3% across Iowa. In all, Allison runs above Iowa on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and cancer, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Allison, and more people treating it

40% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 81.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Allison is short on primary care and mental health care

Allison’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓

Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Iowa figure falls outside Allison’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Allison adults…

Allison runs above IA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

12 of every 100 Allison adults have had cancer
Iowa: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 10.3–12.8%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Why age matters here

Allison is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Allison as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Allison25%
Iowa18%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupIA 78%
66%Dentist visitIA 67%
86%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
72%Colon screeningIA 67%
80%MammogramIA 79%
82%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Allison 6.7% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Getting care

Care in and near Allison

No hospital or community health center in Allison itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERWaverly Health CenterWaverly · 16 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWaverly Health Center★★★★★ · 16.0 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePeoples Community Health ClinicClarksville · 6.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.8 mi
Peoples Community Health Clinic
3 sites · nearest in Clarksville
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16 mi
Waverly Health Center
Waverly · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
19.8 mi
Franklin General Hospital
Hampton · not rated
ERRural critical access
21.5 mi
Floyd County Medical Center
Charles City · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
22.9 mi
Sartori Memorial Hospital
Cedar Falls · not rated
ER
34.6 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
2 sites · nearest in Mason City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Allison itself
✓ Dental careAllison is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Allison itself

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 Allison; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa

Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.

Get no exercise 28.1%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.2%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 19.5%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 14.5%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Allison, betterAllison, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Allison gets moving

1.7 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Allison adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

3 in 10Allison adults feel lonely
29.9% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Allison adults lack social or emotional support
21.8% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Allison adults have been diagnosed with depression
20% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 7Allison adults are in frequent mental distress
15.3% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Allison adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

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 10
Allison adults worry about having enough food
10.4% · IA 12%
About the same as IA
1 in 13
Allison adults worry about keeping their housing
7.8% · IA 9.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 18
Allison adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.5% · IA 6.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 17
Allison adults lack reliable transportation
6% · IA 6.8%
About the same as IA

9% of Allison adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

Allison and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

30.4%

of Allison adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.7%
Thinking or memory13.1%
Hearing9.8%
Errands alone8.1%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.7%
Iowa

Questions about health in Allison

Why doesn’t Allison have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Allison.

What hospital is closest to Allison?

Waverly Health Center in Waverly, 16.0 miles in a straight line from Allison’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Allison?

1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Peoples Clinic Butler County in Clarksville, 6.8 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Allison.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Iowa figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.