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Water tower Dawson Iowa 8-11-2012Photo: rochelle hartman from La Crosse, WI · CC BY 2.0
–Not graded
Health in Dawson · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Dawson residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Dawson, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dawson. How CDC estimates town health

Fair or poor health
16.9%
About the same as IA (17.8%)
Obesity
36.3%
About the same as IA (37.7%)
No exercise
24.1%
About the same as IA (24.8%)
Uninsured
7%
About the same as IA (7.3%)
Feel lonely
30.7%
About the same as IA (32.3%)
Nearest ER
6.5 mi
Dallas County Hospital
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Dawson adults…

Dawson runs below IA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Dawson adults have had cancer
Iowa: 9 in 100 · better · likely 6.8–8.5%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Getting care

Care in and near Dawson

No hospital or community health center in Dawson itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERDallas County HospitalPerry · 6.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Center of DaytonDayton · 29.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.5 mi
Dallas County Hospital
Perry · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
14.7 mi
Greene County Medical Center
Jefferson · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
17.9 mi
Guthrie County Hospital
Guthrie Center · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
22.9 mi
Boone County Hospital
Boone · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
29.9 mi
Community Health Center of Dayton
Dayton · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
Directions
30.1 mi
Primary Health Care
7 sites · nearest in Urbandale
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careDawson is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careDawson is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthDawson is not a shortage area

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 Dawson; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa

Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.

Get no exercise 24.1%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.6%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 21.7%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 15.2%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Dawson, betterDawson, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Dawson gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Dawson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.

75%Yearly checkupIA 78%
66%Dentist visitIA 67%
83%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
65%Colon screeningIA 67%
78%MammogramIA 79%
75%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Dawson 7% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection

How Dawson adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

3 in 10Dawson adults feel lonely
30.7% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 4Dawson adults lack social or emotional support
23.4% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Dawson adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.5% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 6Dawson adults are in frequent mental distress
17.3% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Dawson adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 8
Dawson adults worry about having enough food
11.8% · IA 12%
About the same as IA
1 in 10
Dawson adults worry about keeping their housing
10.1% · IA 9.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 15
Dawson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.7% · IA 6.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 14
Dawson adults lack reliable transportation
7.1% · IA 6.8%
About the same as IA

9.8% of Dawson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

Dawson and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

27.8%

of Dawson adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11.1%
Thinking or memory14.3%
Hearing6.6%
Errands alone7.2%
Vision3.9%
Dressing or bathing3.1%
Iowa

Questions about health in Dawson

Why doesn’t Dawson have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Dawson.

What hospital is closest to Dawson?

Dallas County Hospital in Perry, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Dawson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dawson.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.