Photo: Catherine Palczewski / FortepanIowa · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Hartley is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns
Hartley differs from Iowa on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hartley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hartley
Stroke, COPD and heart disease run high in Hartley
1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 3.3% across Iowa. 1 in 10 adults have COPD (10%), vs 6.9% across Iowa. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.5%, vs 6.6% across Iowa. In all, Hartley runs above Iowa on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and stroke, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Hartley 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 Hartley, and more people treating it
40.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 81% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Hartley is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Hartley is healthier than 25%. Against the 8,214 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 42%. 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 Hartley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B+.
What’s behind Hartley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hartley is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 61% 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). Hartley’s median household income is $57,656; among the 8,214 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 42%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Hartley compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Hartley adults…
Hartley runs above IA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Hartley 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 Hartley as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Hartley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Care in and near Hartley
No hospital or community health center in Hartley 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 Hartley; ≈ 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 Hartley adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Hartley 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.
13.4% of Hartley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Hartley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartley | C− | 39.7% | 14.2% | 17.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hartley adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hartley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hartley is better than Iowa on 2 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Hartley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hartley | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%19.1–27 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.4–18.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.7%31.9–48 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.2–16.5 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.3–45.1 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%34.3–43.4 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.2%29.5–37 | 27% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.2–10.8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10%8.2–12.1 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4–5.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.4%9.1–14 | 11.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.3%13.8–21.2 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%25.3–36.5 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17%14–20.3 | 20.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%28.2–40.8 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%6.6–10.9 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%75.7–82.6 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.9%61.2–68.4 | 66.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.1%82.8–87.1 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%78.3–83.5 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70%64.7–74.8 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.6%73.7–86.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%17.7–24.5 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%26.1–36.5 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%18.5–26.3 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%11.1–18 | 12% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.1%8.2–12.3 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.1–8.7 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.5–9.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.4%10.2–17 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.3%30.4–40.6 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.3%15.2–21.6 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%12.9–17.7 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.7%9.3–12.2 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.1–7.1 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.2–11.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4–5.8 | 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 Hartley
Is Hartley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hartley is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 42%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hartley?
CDC estimates 39.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 48%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hartley?
Spencer Municipal Hospital in Spencer, 16.9 miles in a straight line from Hartley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hartley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–10.9%), 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 Hartley 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 Hartley.
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.