Photo: Bill Whittaker · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Dodge is healthier than 60%
Fort Dodge trails Iowa on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Dodge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Dodge
Making ends meet is harder in Fort Dodge
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.9%), vs 12% across Iowa. Utility shut-off threats (7.8% vs 6.4%) and no reliable transportation (8.2% vs 6.8%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Fort Dodge is short on primary care and mental health care
Fort Dodge’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fort Dodge is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Dodge is healthier than 39%. Against the 9,098 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 60%. 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 Fort Dodge’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Fort Dodge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Dodge is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, #98 of 140 in Iowa. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 62% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Fort Dodge’s median household income is $60,649; among the 9,098 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 60%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.6% of Fort Dodge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Care in and near Fort Dodge
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Fort Dodge, 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 Fort Dodge; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Fort Dodge adults…
Fort Dodge runs above IA on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 27 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Dodge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Fort Dodge adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Fort Dodge 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.
Fort Dodge and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Dodge | C+ | 41.7% | 11.8% | 16.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Dodge adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Dodge
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Dodge is better than Iowa on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Fort Dodge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Dodge | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.7%17.4–22.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.9–15 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.7–19.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.7%34.7–48.5 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.2–13.4 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.7%32.9–40.5 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%30.6–38.3 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.6%24.7–30.5 | 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 | 8.8%8–9.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.3–7.8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.8%7–8.7 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.4%10.8–16.3 | 11.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%14.6–18.9 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.4%24.4–32.6 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.8%17.5–24.2 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%31.3–44.3 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.4–9.9 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.5%74–80.7 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.3%59.6–66.9 | 66.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.2%80.1–84.1 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.3–79.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%60–70.1 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%69.5–83.5 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%17.7–23.8 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%30.2–39.9 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.6–28.5 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.9%12.8–17.2 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.5–12.7 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.8–8.9 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.6%10.9–14.5 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.1%26.3–33.9 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.3–15.8 | 12.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.2%13.6–16.9 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.2–9 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.6–5.5 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.7–9.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 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 Fort Dodge
Is Fort Dodge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Dodge is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #98 of 140 in Iowa. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Dodge?
CDC estimates 41.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.7% and 48.5%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Dodge?
Trinity Regional Medical Center in Fort Dodge, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Fort Dodge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Dodge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–9.9%), 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 Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge.
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.