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–Not graded
Health in Mallard · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Mallard residents get care

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

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Mallard

Heart disease, cancer and stroke run high in Mallard

1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.6%), vs 6.6% across Iowa. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.2%), vs 8.7% across Iowa. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.3% across Iowa. In all, Mallard runs above Iowa on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and heart disease, cancer and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

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

40.1% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 81.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Mallard is short on dental care and mental health care

Mallard’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓

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 Mallard’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Mallard adults…

Mallard runs above IA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Mallard adults have heart disease
Iowa: 7 in 100 · worse · likely 7.3–9.8%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Why age matters here

Mallard is an older town: 34% 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 Mallard as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Mallard34%
Iowa18%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupIA 78%
68%Dentist visitIA 67%
87%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
71%Colon screeningIA 67%
79%MammogramIA 79%
82%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Mallard 6.3% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Getting care

Care in and near Mallard

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

HNearest ERPalo Alto County HospitalEmmetsburg · 12.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Center of Fort DodgeSpencer · 27.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.4 mi
Palo Alto County Hospital
Emmetsburg · not rated
ERRural critical access
13.5 mi
Pocahontas Community Hospital
Pocahontas · not rated
ERRural critical access
25.2 mi
Kossuth Regional Health Center
Algona · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
27 mi
Humboldt County Memorial Hospital
Humboldt · not rated
ERRural critical access
27.4 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
5 sites · nearest in Spencer
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
33.4 mi
United Community Health Center of Storm Lake - Replacement
Storm Lake · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careMallard is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Mallard itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Mallard 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 Mallard; ≈ 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 26.2%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 32.9%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 19%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 15.8%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Mallard, betterMallard, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Mallard gets moving

0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Mallard adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

3 in 10Mallard adults feel lonely
29.6% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 4Mallard adults lack social or emotional support
22.6% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Mallard adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.6% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 7Mallard adults are in frequent mental distress
15.2% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Mallard 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.

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 10
Mallard adults worry about having enough food
10% · IA 12%
About the same as IA
1 in 13
Mallard adults worry about keeping their housing
7.7% · IA 9.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 19
Mallard adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.4% · IA 6.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 17
Mallard adults lack reliable transportation
5.8% · IA 6.8%
About the same as IA

8.5% of Mallard adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.3%
Thinking or memory13.1%
Hearing9.5%
Errands alone7.7%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.9%
Iowa

Questions about health in Mallard

Why doesn’t Mallard have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Mallard?

Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg, 12.4 miles in a straight line from Mallard’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 Mallard.

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.