Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Council Bluffs is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
Council Bluffs trails Iowa on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Council Bluffs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Council Bluffs
Making ends meet is harder in Council Bluffs
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.7%), vs 12% across Iowa. Utility shut-off threats (8.2% vs 6.4%) and no reliable transportation (8.6% vs 6.8%) are higher too. 14.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Council Bluffs
61.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 66.8% across Iowa. Among those 65 and older, 14.7% have lost all their teeth (Iowa 11.6%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Council Bluffs
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.4%), vs 14.5% across Iowa. Habits ↓
Council Bluffs has a five-star hospital
CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs is rated 5 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 Council Bluffs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Council Bluffs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Council Bluffs is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns, #108 of 140 in Iowa. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 54% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Council Bluffs’ median household income is $64,578; among the 9,847 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.5% of Council Bluffs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Care in and near Council Bluffs
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Council Bluffs, 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 Council Bluffs; ≈ 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 Council Bluffs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 41 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Council Bluffs adults…
Council Bluffs runs above IA on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Council Bluffs adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Council Bluffs 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.
Council Bluffs and the towns around it
Council Bluffs’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council Bluffs | C | 40% | 11.8% | 18.4% | CDC place |
| Carter Lake | C− | 41.3% | 12.2% | 20.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Council Bluffs adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Council Bluffs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Council Bluffs is better than Iowa on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Council Bluffs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Council Bluffs | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.5%18.3–22.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.6–15.6 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.2–19.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%34.6–45.1 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.3–13.2 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.4–38 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%32.5–39.3 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.6%23.9–29.2 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.2–7.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7.4–9 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.7%12.1–17.5 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.4%16.3–20.6 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.7%25.1–32.3 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 20.7%17.6–23.8 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%30.2–40.4 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%73.1–79.4 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.3%58.1–64.6 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%80.4–84.1 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%75.1–80.3 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.4%61–69.7 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.1%69.4–82.1 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.6–25.6 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%31.4–40.1 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%22.6–29.2 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.7%14.6–18.9 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%10.3–13.5 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.7–9.7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.5%12.7–16.4 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.5%28.9–35.9 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%13.1–16.5 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%14.2–17.4 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.7 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8.1–9.9 | 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 Council Bluffs
Is Council Bluffs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Council Bluffs is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #108 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Council Bluffs?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.6% and 45.1%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Council Bluffs?
CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Council Bluffs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Council Bluffs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–10.3%), 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 Council Bluffs 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 Council Bluffs.
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.