On CDC estimates, Fairfax is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Fairfax beats Iowa on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairfax. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairfax
Against towns with similar incomes, Fairfax’s lead shrinks
Fairfax is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, but 56% of the 6,535 towns with similar household incomes ($86K–$143K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fairfax is an active town
Only 20.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
Fewer Fairfax adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Fairfax’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Fairfax’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #32 of 140 in Iowa. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 86% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 58%.
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). Fairfax’s median household income is $114,375; among the 6,535 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($86K–$143K), it’s healthier than 56%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.1% of Fairfax adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Out of every 100 Fairfax adults…
Fairfax runs below IA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Fairfax
No hospital or community health center in Fairfax 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 Fairfax; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fairfax adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Fairfax adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Fairfax 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.
Fairfax and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax | A− | 35.1% | 10.7% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Cedar Rapids | B | 36.3% | 11.1% | 14.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fairfax adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fairfax
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairfax is better than Iowa on 12 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Fairfax’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairfax | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.6%12.7–16.9 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.8%10.4–13.3 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.8–17.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.1%30.9–39.5 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.3–12.1 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%27.9–33.7 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.7–38 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.9%24.3–29.6 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6%5.2–6.9 | 6.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.9–9 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11–15.6 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.8%17.8–24 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21%18.3–23.9 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.2%26.4–34.4 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.3–6.4 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%75.6–81.2 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.5%69.8–75.3 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%85.1–88.6 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.5–81.1 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.7%64.5–72.6 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.7%75.9–86.6 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.3–26.1 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%28.1–35.4 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%20.1–26.2 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%7.5–11.1 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.3–9.1 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.5–6.4 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.5–6.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%5.6–8.7 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.4%22.4–28.7 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.8%9.3–12.4 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.5–13.6 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.3 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3–3.8 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.4–7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.2 | 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 Fairfax
Is Fairfax a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #32 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 56%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fairfax?
CDC estimates 35.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 39.5%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairfax?
St. Lukes Hospital in Cedar Rapids, 7.3 miles in a straight line from Fairfax’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairfax have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.4%), 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 Fairfax 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 Fairfax.
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.