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Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Passenger Depot-DowsBurlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Passenger Depot-Dows · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0
–Not graded
Health in Dows · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Dows residents get care

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

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

Fair or poor health
18.5%
About the same as IA (17.8%)
Obesity
39.2%
About the same as IA (37.7%)
No exercise
25.7%
About the same as IA (24.8%)
Uninsured
9.5%
Worse than IA (7.3%)
Feel lonely
31.1%
About the same as IA (32.3%)
Nearest ER
12.5 mi
Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion
What stands out

What stands out about health in Dows

9.5%uninsured, ages 18–64 · IA 7.3%
★ What stands out · Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%Yearly checkupIA 78%
64%Dentist visitIA 67%
85%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
68%Colon screeningIA 67%
80%MammogramIA 79%
79%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Dows 9.5% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Dows adults…

Dows runs above IA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

35 of every 100 Dows adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · about the same · likely 31.6–39.3%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Getting care

Care in and near Dows

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

HNearest ERIowa Specialty Hospital - ClarionClarion · 12.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Center of Fort DodgeClarion · 12.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.5 mi
Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion
Clarion · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
12.8 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
5 sites · nearest in Clarion
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
14.1 mi
Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond
Belmond · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
16.1 mi
Hansen Family Hospital
Iowa Falls · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
17 mi
Franklin General Hospital
Hampton · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
36.5 mi
Proteus, Inc. - Fort Dodge Site
Fort Dodge · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
Directions
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Dows itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Dows itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Dows itself

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 Dows; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa

Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.7%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 32.6%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 20.5%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 14.6%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Dows, betterDows, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Dows gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Dows adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

1 in 3Dows adults feel lonely
31.1% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 4Dows adults lack social or emotional support
23.5% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Dows adults have been diagnosed with depression
19% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 7Dows adults are in frequent mental distress
15.2% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Dows 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
Dows adults worry about having enough food
12.3% · IA 12%
About the same as IA
1 in 10
Dows adults worry about keeping their housing
9.7% · IA 9.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 16
Dows adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.3% · IA 6.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 15
Dows adults lack reliable transportation
6.7% · IA 6.8%
About the same as IA

9.3% of Dows adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

Dows 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.

29.3%

of Dows adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13.5%
Thinking or memory13.3%
Hearing8.6%
Errands alone7.2%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.5%
Iowa

Questions about health in Dows

Why doesn’t Dows have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Dows?

Hansen Family Hospital in Iowa Falls, 16.1 miles in a straight line from Dows’ 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 Dows.

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.