Photo: Kevin Schuchmann · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Elkader is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns
Elkader differs from Iowa on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elkader. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elkader
Heart disease, stroke and cancer run high in Elkader
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 6.6% across Iowa. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.3% across Iowa. Cancer is also above the state: 12.2%, vs 8.7% across Iowa. In all, Elkader runs above Iowa on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and heart disease, stroke and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Elkader adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (30.6%), vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Elkader, and more people treating it
42.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 82.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Elkader is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Elkader is healthier than 34%. Against the 9,575 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 49%. 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 Elkader’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Elkader’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkader is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 80% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Elkader’s median household income is $62,857; among the 9,575 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 49%, about where its income would put it.
Where Elkader compares well: checkup in the past year, 81.4% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.8% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Elkader adults…
Elkader runs above IA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Elkader is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Elkader as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
1.9 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Elkader adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Care in and near Elkader
1 hospital in Elkader, 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 Elkader; ≈ 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 Elkader adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Elkader 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.5% of Elkader adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Elkader and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkader | C | 39.9% | 13.9% | 16.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elkader adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elkader
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elkader is better than Iowa on 3 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Elkader’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elkader | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.7%17.2–24.5 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%12.9–17.6 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.2–17.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.9%32.4–48 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.9%11.8–16.2 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.7%38.3–47.2 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.4%36.1–44.9 | 35.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.4%30.6–38.3 | 27% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.7–11.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.2%11–13.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8–10.8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.6%7.9–11.6 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4–5.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16%13.3–19 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%13.2–19.5 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%24.9–36.5 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%14.7–20.5 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32%26.3–38.3 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.1–8.8 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.4%78.5–84.2 | 77.5% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.6%59.9–67.1 | 66.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.4–89.1 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.8%80.4–85.1 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%64.1–73.4 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%71.3–84.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19%16–22.3 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.9%26.1–36.3 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%18.9–26.7 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.2–14.6 | 12% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.2%6.7–10 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%4.9–7.1 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.3–7.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.5%8.2–13.1 | 10% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8%27.7–38 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%14.6–21.1 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.6–15.9 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.6%9.2–12.2 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.5–6.3 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.4–10.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.6–5.1 | 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 Elkader
Is Elkader a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkader is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 49%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elkader?
CDC estimates 39.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 48%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elkader?
Mercyone Elkader Medical Center in Elkader, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Elkader’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Elkader have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–8.8%), 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 Elkader 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 Elkader.
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.