Photo: Bill Whittaker · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Clear Lake is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Clear Lake differs from Iowa on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Clear Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clear Lake
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Clear Lake
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 8.7% across Iowa. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (34.1%), vs 27% across Iowa. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.9%, vs 6.6% across Iowa. In all, Clear Lake runs above Iowa on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Clear Lake, and more people treating it
38.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 81.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer Clear Lake adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Clear Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Clear Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clear Lake is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #68 of 140 in Iowa. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 81% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 27%).
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). Clear Lake’s median household income is $79,415; among the 10,771 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$99K), it’s healthier than 60%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Clear Lake adults…
Clear Lake runs above IA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Clear Lake is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Clear Lake as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Clear Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.2% of Clear Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Care in and near Clear Lake
No hospital or community health center in Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake; ≈ 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.
2.5 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
How Clear Lake adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Clear Lake 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.
Clear Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake | B | 39.2% | 12.5% | 14.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Clear Lake adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clear Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clear Lake is better than Iowa on 7 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Clear Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clear Lake | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.5%14.8–20.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.1–16.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.2%32.7–45.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.6–14.4 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.2%34.1–42.3 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%34.3–42.5 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.1%30.5–37.8 | 27% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10.1–12.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.5–8.9 | 6.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.5%10.2–15.1 | 11.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%11.8–17 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%21.1–30 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.7–21.7 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.6%25.4–36.2 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%4.9–7.3 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.5–82.7 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.1%64.8–71.4 | 66.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.6–89 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.7%79.1–84.2 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.7%67.2–75.8 | 66.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.7%69.6–82.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%17.8–24.3 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%26.8–35.6 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%19.3–26 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.5%7.8–11.6 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6.1–8.8 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.5–6.3 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.8–6.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%6.6–10 | 10% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%25.4–33.9 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12–16.5 | 12.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.6–14 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.8–10 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 4.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.2–8.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.1–4 | 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 Clear Lake
Is Clear Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clear Lake is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #68 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 60%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Clear Lake?
CDC estimates 39.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.7% and 45.8%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Clear Lake?
Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City, 8.0 miles in a straight line from Clear Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Clear Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–7.3%), 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 Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake.
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.