Photo: ArtisticAbode · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Cedar Rapids is healthier than 77%
Cedar Rapids differs from Iowa on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cedar Rapids. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Cedar Rapids is healthier than 61%. Against the 10,546 towns with similar household incomes ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 77%. Health Grade ↓
Cedar Rapids has a top-rated hospital
Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Cedar Rapids’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cedar Rapids is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, #61 of 140 in Iowa. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 74% of U.S. towns); mental distress 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 Rapids’ median household income is $70,424; among the 10,546 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.
At 137,935 residents, Cedar Rapids is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Cedar Rapids
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Cedar Rapids, 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 Rapids; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Cedar Rapids adults…
Cedar Rapids runs below IA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
46 miles of trails across 86 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Cedar Rapids adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Cedar Rapids adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Cedar Rapids runs above Iowa.
1 in 3 Cedar Rapids 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.
12.2% of Cedar Rapids adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Cedar Rapids and the towns around it
Cedar Rapids’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 Rapids | B | 36.3% | 11.1% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Marion | A− | 33.8% | 10% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Hiawatha | B | 36.3% | 11.9% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Robins | A | 33.6% | 10.8% | 11% | CDC place |
| Fairfax | A− | 35.1% | 10.7% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Bertram | — | — | — | — |
Bertram: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cedar Rapids adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cedar Rapids
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cedar Rapids is better than Iowa on 1 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Cedar Rapids’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cedar Rapids | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.5%15.7–19.5 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.2–14 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.7–19.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.3%32.1–40.6 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.7%27.9–33.6 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33%30–36 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.5%23.2–27.9 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.3–8.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.5–6.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.7%6.1–7.4 | 6.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%3–3.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.4%9.3–13.8 | 11.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%12.9–16.3 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.9%21–26.9 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.4%17.7–23.2 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%28.6–37 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%6.2–8.2 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%74.3–79.9 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66%63–69 | 66.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.9%81.1–84.5 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.5%73.8–79 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.6%63.4–71.6 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%73.8–85.1 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%21–26.6 | 20.7% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%30.8–38 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%22.4–28.2 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%12.6–16.2 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9.4–12.2 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.9–8.9 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%7–8.8 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.2%10.7–13.7 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.1%26.2–32.2 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.8–13.6 | 12.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.5%13.1–16 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.2–7.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–4.8 | 4.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.7 | 3.4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Rapids
Is Cedar Rapids a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cedar Rapids is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #61 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 Cedar Rapids?
CDC estimates 36.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.1% and 40.6%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cedar Rapids?
Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids in Cedar Rapids, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Cedar Rapids’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cedar Rapids have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–8.2%), 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 Cedar Rapids more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cedar Rapids.
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.