Photo: Ashton B Crew · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Elkhart is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Elkhart differs from Iowa on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elkhart. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elkhart
Binge drinking is the habit Elkhart doesn’t win on
26.1% of adults binge drink, vs 20.5% across Iowa, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Elkhart
Elkhart runs below Iowa on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (3.4% vs 6.6%), stroke (1.7% vs 3.3%) and COPD (3.7% vs 6.9%). A young population is part of it: only 10% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%). Conditions ↓
Elkhart is an active town
Only 16.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
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 Elkhart’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Elkhart’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkhart is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 60%.
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). Elkhart’s median household income is $84,554; among the 10,432 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$106K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Elkhart adults…
Elkhart runs below IA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Elkhart
No hospital or community health center in Elkhart 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 Elkhart; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Elkhart adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Elkhart adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Elkhart 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.
5.5% of Elkhart adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Elkhart and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart | A | 34% | 6.5% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elkhart adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elkhart
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elkhart is better than Iowa on 18 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Elkhart’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elkhart | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.6%9.5–14.1 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.6%8.1–11.3 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.1–19 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34%30.1–38.1 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 6.5%5.5–7.6 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.8%21.3–26.4 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.8%27.1–32.4 | 35.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.4%17.3–21.6 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.4%3–4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.7%2.9–4.5 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.7%1.5–2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.1%5.7–8.7 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%7.8–13.8 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.3%13.4–19.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 26.1%23.1–29.3 | 20.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.9%27.5–34.3 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%3.6–7 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.6%69.6–75.8 | 77.5% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.8%72.3–77 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%81.4–86.5 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.1%65.7–72.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%65.2–72.3 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%75–84.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19.7–25.3 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%29.2–36.3 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18.3–24.8 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.4%5.4–10.2 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%5.6–9.6 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%3.7–6 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%3.9–6.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.5%3.7–7.7 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 19.5%16.4–22.9 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 6.5%5.3–7.9 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.3%9.2–13.7 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.8 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.4%2–2.8 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.8%3.9–5.8 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.9%1.5–2.3 | 3.4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Elkhart
Is Elkhart a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elkhart is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elkhart?
CDC estimates 34% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.1% and 38.1%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elkhart?
Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines, 13.8 miles in a straight line from Elkhart’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elkhart have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.6–7%), 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 Elkhart more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elkhart.
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.