Laurens Carnegie Free Library · Photo: CelticClicker · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Laurens is healthier than 65%
Laurens trails Iowa on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Laurens. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Laurens
Laurens is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Laurens’ county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Laurens
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.4%), vs 6.9% across Iowa. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.4%), vs 3.3% across Iowa. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.7%, vs 6.6% across Iowa. In all, Laurens runs above Iowa on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Laurens is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Laurens is healthier than 28%. Against the 5,395 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 65%. 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 Laurens’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B+.
What’s behind Laurens’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurens is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 53% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 22%).
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). Laurens’ median household income is $48,988; among the 5,395 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Laurens
No hospital or community health center in Laurens 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 Laurens; ≈ 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 Laurens adults…
Laurens runs above IA on 8 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Laurens adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Laurens adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Laurens 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.
12.7% of Laurens adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Laurens and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurens | C | 37.9% | 13.7% | 17.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Laurens adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Laurens
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Laurens is better than Iowa on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Laurens’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Laurens | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22%18.4–26.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13–17.7 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.7–19.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%29.3–46.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.7%11.6–16 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39%34.2–43.7 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%33.6–43.1 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.4%27.5–35.3 | 27% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.2–11.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%7.8–11.3 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.8–5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.7%14.5–21.1 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.8%14.4–21.5 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30%24.5–35.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.2–22.4 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%28–41.4 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.8%6.8–11.1 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%74.6–82.3 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.8%58–65.2 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.7%82.2–87.1 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.4%77.3–83.1 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%61.4–71.8 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.3%68–82.7 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.1–24.3 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%27.1–38.3 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%20.4–28.4 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.3%11.3–17.6 | 12% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.6%8.8–12.6 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 6.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.6–9.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.7%9.9–15.8 | 10% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.4%28.1–38.6 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17%14.2–20 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%12.9–17.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.7%8.4–11.1 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%4.8–6.6 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%7.8–10.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 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 Laurens
Is Laurens a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurens is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Laurens?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 46.8%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Laurens?
Pocahontas Community Hospital in Pocahontas, 11.2 miles in a straight line from Laurens’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Laurens have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–11.1%), 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 Laurens 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 Laurens.
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.