Photo: Bill Whittaker · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Columbus Junction is healthier than 65%
Columbus Junction differs from Iowa on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Columbus Junction. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Columbus Junction
1 in 6 working-age adults in Columbus Junction has no health insurance
15.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 7.3% across Iowa. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Columbus Junction
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.5%), vs 12% across Iowa. Housing insecurity (13.5% vs 9.4%) and no reliable transportation (8.4% vs 6.8%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
More Columbus Junction adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32%), vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
Columbus Junction is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Columbus Junction is healthier than 45%. Against the 9,706 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 65%. 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 Columbus Junction’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Columbus Junction’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbus Junction is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 82% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Columbus Junction’s median household income is $63,828; among the 9,706 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Columbus Junction compares well: ever told they have depression, 17.1% (U.S. 20.6%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Columbus Junction 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.
11.6% of Columbus Junction 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.
0.5 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Columbus Junction adults…
Columbus Junction runs below IA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Columbus Junction
No hospital or community health center in Columbus Junction 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 Columbus Junction; ≈ 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).
How Columbus Junction adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Columbus Junction does better than Iowa.
1 in 3 Columbus Junction 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.
Columbus Junction and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Junction | B− | 39.1% | 12.7% | 13.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Columbus Junction adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Columbus Junction
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Columbus Junction is better than Iowa on 2 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Columbus Junction’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Columbus Junction | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.7%18.4–25.5 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.6–15.5 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13–16.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.1%31.1–47.1 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%10.9–14.7 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%29.1–37.2 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%31.1–39.8 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.1%22.2–28.2 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9%7.8–10.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%6.9–8.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.8–7.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.2–7.6 | 6.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%11.9–17.6 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.6%11.3–16.2 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32%26.7–37.6 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%14.5–21.1 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%28.1–40.9 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.9%12.6–19.5 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.6%72.8–80.2 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.5%57.9–65.2 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.4%81.1–85.7 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%75–80.5 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.3%59.3–69.1 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%72.5–85.2 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.1%14.2–20.2 | 20.7% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 33.6%28.2–38.8 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%23.3–31.3 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.5%14.2–20.9 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.5%11.2–15.9 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.1–9.7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%9.4–14 | 10% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.7%26.3–35.5 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12–16.9 | 12.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.2%12.2–16.5 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%6.8–8.9 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.5–9.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 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 Columbus Junction
Is Columbus Junction a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbus Junction is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Columbus Junction?
CDC estimates 39.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.1% and 47.1%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Columbus Junction?
Washington County Hospital and Clinics in Washington, 16.9 miles in a straight line from Columbus Junction’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Columbus Junction have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.6–19.5%), 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 Columbus Junction 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 Columbus Junction.
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.