Where Buffalo Center residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Buffalo Center, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buffalo Center. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buffalo Center
Heart disease, stroke and cancer run high in Buffalo Center
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.1%), vs 6.6% across Iowa. 1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.5%), vs 3.3% across Iowa. Cancer is also above the state: 11.8%, vs 8.7% across Iowa. In all, Buffalo Center runs above Iowa on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and heart disease, stroke and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Buffalo Center, and more people treating it
40.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 82.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Buffalo Center is short on primary care and mental health care
Buffalo Center’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 Buffalo Center’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Buffalo Center adults…
Buffalo Center runs above IA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Buffalo Center is an older town: 34% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Buffalo Center as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Buffalo Center adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Care in and near Buffalo Center
No hospital or community health center in Buffalo Center itself. These are the nearest.
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 Buffalo Center; ≈ 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.
0.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Buffalo Center adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
3 in 10 Buffalo Center 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.8% of Buffalo Center adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Buffalo Center and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buffalo Center adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Buffalo Center
Why doesn’t Buffalo Center have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Buffalo Center.
What hospital is closest to Buffalo Center?
United Hospital District in Blue Earth, 18.7 miles in a straight line from Buffalo Center’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Buffalo Center.
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.