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Shelby County, Iowa. The village of Irwin is the center of a community -- village and hinterland -- . . .Photo: Irving Rusinow · Public domain
–Not graded
Health in Irwin · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Irwin residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Irwin, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Irwin. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Irwin

Cancer and arthritis run high in Irwin

1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.1%), vs 8.7% across Iowa. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33.2%), vs 27% across Iowa. In all, Irwin runs above Iowa on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Irwin, and more people treating it

38.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 83% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Fewer Irwin adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 12 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 Irwin’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Irwin adults…

Irwin runs below IA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.

12 of every 100 Irwin adults have had cancer
Iowa: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 10.8–13.3%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Why age matters here

Irwin is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Irwin as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Irwin29%
Iowa18%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Irwin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.

81%Yearly checkupIA 78%
73%Dentist visitIA 67%
88%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
71%Colon screeningIA 67%
80%MammogramIA 79%
83%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 17
working-age adults has no health insurance
Irwin 5.9% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 12
Irwin adults worry about having enough food
8.4% · IA 12%
Better than IA
1 in 15
Irwin adults worry about keeping their housing
6.6% · IA 9.4%
Better than IA
1 in 22
Irwin adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.5% · IA 6.4%
Better than IA
1 in 20
Irwin adults lack reliable transportation
5% · IA 6.8%
Better than IA

6.7% of Irwin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Getting care

Care in and near Irwin

No hospital or community health center in Irwin itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERManning Regional Healthcare CenterManning · 10.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMyrtue Medical Center★★★★★ · 11.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careAll Care Health CenterCouncil Bluffs · 49.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10.5 mi
Manning Regional Healthcare Center
Manning · not rated
ERRural critical access
11.6 mi
Myrtue Medical Center
Harlan · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
14.9 mi
Audubon County Memorial Hospital
Audubon · not rated
ERRural critical access
18.2 mi
Crawford County Memorial Hospital
Denison · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
49.3 mi
All Care Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Council Bluffs
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careIrwin is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careIrwin is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Irwin itself

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 Irwin; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa

Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.3%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 27.9%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 18.4%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 13.2%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Irwin, betterIrwin, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Irwin gets moving

0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Irwin adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Irwin does better than Iowa.

3 in 10Irwin adults feel lonely
29.3% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Irwin adults lack social or emotional support
22% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Irwin adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.6% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 7Irwin adults are in frequent mental distress
14% · IA 16.4% · Better than IA
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Irwin adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Irwin and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

30.2%

of Irwin adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.4%
Thinking or memory11.6%
Hearing9.4%
Errands alone7%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.3%
Iowa

Questions about health in Irwin

Why doesn’t Irwin have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Irwin.

What hospital is closest to Irwin?

Manning Regional Healthcare Center in Manning, 10.5 miles in a straight line from Irwin’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Irwin.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.