Photo: Dirk DBQ · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Ames is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Ames differs from Iowa on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ames. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ames
Ames is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ames is healthier than 78%. Against the 9,171 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Ames
1 in 9 adults lack reliable transportation (11.1%), vs 6.8% across Iowa. Food insecurity (16.3% vs 12%) and utility shut-off threats (8% vs 6.4%) are higher too. 13.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Ames
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.1%), vs 16.4% across Iowa. Loneliness is above the state too: 37.5%, vs 32.3% across Iowa. Mind & connection ↓
Arthritis and heart disease are less common in Ames
Ames runs below Iowa on nine chronic conditions, most of all arthritis (15.1% vs 27%), heart disease (3.7% vs 6.6%) and diabetes (6.4% vs 11.2%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%). Conditions ↓
Ames has a top-rated hospital
Mary Greeley Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. 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 Ames’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Ames’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ames is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #33 of 140 in Iowa. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Ames’ median household income is $60,991; among the 9,171 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.7% of Ames adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
How Ames adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Ames runs above Iowa.
2 in 5 Ames adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Out of every 100 Ames adults…
Ames runs below IA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Ames residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Ames
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Ames, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Ames; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
36 miles of trails across 42 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Ames adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Ames and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ames adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ames
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ames is better than Iowa on 14 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Ames’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ames | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.1%14.1–18.1 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%8.9–11.3 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%18–22.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.1%25.9–36.2 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.2%20.4–25.9 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 27.7%24.7–30.6 | 35.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 15.1%13.4–16.9 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.5–5.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.9%1.7–2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.6%7–10.4 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3%9.8–12.9 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%18.1–24.5 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 24.2%20.6–27.6 | 20.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.1%24.1–33.9 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%6.4–8.6 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.7%68.8–76 | 77.5% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.1%59.6–66.3 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 71.6%68.9–74 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 61.5%59–63.6 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.6%67.1–75.5 | 66.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%71.9–84.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.2–26.6 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.5%33.1–42 | 32.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%19.2–25.3 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.3%14.2–18.5 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%7–9.1 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.1%9.8–12.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.7%12–15.5 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%24.9–31.7 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%16–19.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 4.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 3.4% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Iowa figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ames
Is Ames a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ames is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #33 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ames?
CDC estimates 31.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 36.2%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ames?
Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Ames’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ames have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–8.6%), against 7.3% across Iowa.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Ames more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ames.
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. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. 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.