Photo: Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Burlington is healthier than 64%
Burlington trails Iowa on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Burlington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Burlington
Making ends meet is harder in Burlington
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.7%), vs 12% across Iowa. Utility shut-off threats (7.7% vs 6.4%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
More Burlington adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.3%), vs 24.8% across Iowa. There are 13 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Burlington
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.3%), vs 6.9% across Iowa. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.9%), vs 3.3% across Iowa. Conditions ↓
Burlington is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Burlington is healthier than 40%. Against the 8,674 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 64%. Health Grade ↓
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 Burlington’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Burlington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Burlington is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns, #95 of 140 in Iowa. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 55% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 26%).
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). Burlington’s median household income is $59,000; among the 8,674 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 64%, 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.
12.9% of Burlington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
13 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Burlington adults…
Burlington runs above IA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Burlington
No hospital or community health center in Burlington 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 Burlington; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Burlington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Burlington adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Burlington 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.
Burlington and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | C+ | 35.5% | 12.7% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| West Burlington | C+ | 34.5% | 13.4% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Burlington adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Burlington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Burlington is better than Iowa on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Burlington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Burlington | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.5%18.1–23 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.7–16 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.4–19.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%29.9–41.4 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11–14.4 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%32.2–39.6 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%31.6–39.1 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.8%26.8–33 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7.4–9.2 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.8%12.1–17.8 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.8–19.3 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.3%25.4–33.5 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 19.2%16.4–22.4 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%27.4–38.8 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.9%6.8–9.2 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.6–82.6 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.1%58.5–65.5 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.2%82.2–85.9 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.7–81.9 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%60.2–70 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%69.2–82.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.5%18.6–24.8 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%28.6–37.1 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.8%21.5–28.2 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.7%12.7–16.8 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.1%9.6–12.6 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.7–8.8 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.9%11.2–14.8 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.9%28.2–35.7 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.3%13.5–17.2 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.2–16.6 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.8–9.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 3.4% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Burlington
Is Burlington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Burlington is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #95 of 140 in Iowa. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Burlington?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 41.4%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Burlington?
Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center in West Burlington, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Burlington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Burlington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–9.2%), 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 Burlington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Burlington.
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.