Photo: RifeIdeas · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Cedar Falls is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Cedar Falls differs from Iowa on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cedar Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cedar Falls
Stroke and COPD are less common in Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls runs below Iowa on four chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2.6% vs 3.3%), COPD (5.5% vs 6.9%) and diabetes (9% vs 11.2%). Conditions ↓
Cedar Falls is an active town
Only 20.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. The town has 11 miles of trails across 58 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Cedar Falls’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Cedar Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cedar Falls is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #35 of 140 in Iowa. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 92% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). Cedar Falls’ median household income is $76,987; among the 10,815 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$96K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Cedar Falls adults…
Cedar Falls runs below IA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 58 parks and preserves
Care in and near Cedar Falls
1 hospital in Cedar Falls, 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 Cedar Falls; ≈ 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 Cedar Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Cedar Falls adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Cedar Falls 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.
10.4% of Cedar Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Cedar Falls and the towns around it
Cedar Falls’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Falls | A− | 37% | 9% | 12.5% | CDC place |
| Waterloo | C | 44% | 13.6% | 18.9% | CDC place |
| Hudson | A− | 38.9% | 10.4% | 13.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cedar Falls adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cedar Falls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cedar Falls is better than Iowa on 16 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Cedar Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cedar Falls | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.8%14.1–17.6 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.5–19 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%32.9–41.2 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9%8–10.1 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.3%26.8–31.9 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.2%31.5–37.1 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.3%21.3–25.4 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7.1–8.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.8–5.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%5–6.2 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.7%7.2–10.4 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.5%10.9–14.1 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%17.7–22.7 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 22.2%19.5–25.2 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%29.4–35.7 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%5.1–7 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%75.2–80.7 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.8%67.4–72.3 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.9%79–82.8 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%71.5–76 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.3%71.1–77.2 | 66.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.7%74.8–83.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19.7–25.1 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%28.7–35.8 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18.9–24.2 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%9.8–13.3 | 12% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.9%6.7–9.2 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.2–6.9 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.4%8.8–12.2 | 10% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%24.6–30.3 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%9–11.3 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.9–16 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.1 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 4.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.9–8.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 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 Cedar Falls
Is Cedar Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cedar Falls is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #35 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cedar Falls?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 41.2%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cedar Falls?
Sartori Memorial Hospital in Cedar Falls, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Cedar Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Cedar Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7%), 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 Cedar Falls 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 Cedar Falls.
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.