Photo: Nicole Haas, Chicago Legend · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, New Sharon is healthier than 97%
New Sharon differs from Iowa on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for New Sharon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in New Sharon
New Sharon is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, New Sharon is healthier than 69%. Against the 5,290 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 97%. Health Grade ↓
Fewer New Sharon adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 11 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 New Sharon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind New Sharon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Sharon is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns. Fair or poor health holds the grade up (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 78% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). New Sharon’s median household income is $48,750; among the 5,290 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$61K), it’s healthier than 97%, 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.
7.1% of New Sharon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Out of every 100 New Sharon adults…
New Sharon runs above IA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near New Sharon
No hospital or community health center in New Sharon 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 New Sharon; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of New Sharon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How New Sharon adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 New Sharon 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.
New Sharon and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Sharon | B+ | 36.4% | 10.4% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of New Sharon adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for New Sharon
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, New Sharon is better than Iowa on 5 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside New Sharon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | New Sharon | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16%13.3–18.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.6–14.2 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.6–17.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.4%29–43.7 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.8–12 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.7%30.5–38.6 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%31.8–40.2 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7%25.2–31.9 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.7–11.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%9–11 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.5–7.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.7%5.5–7.9 | 6.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.8–3.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.8%11–17 | 11.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%11.5–17 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%20.4–29.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20%16.6–23.3 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%26.4–39.5 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.8%4.4–7.5 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.6%73.9–80.9 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.4%69.1–75.6 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%83.8–88.1 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.3–81.8 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.8%65.7–75.5 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.7%75.1–87.2 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%17.4–23.8 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%26.4–36.2 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.3–26.7 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%6.9–11.1 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6–9 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.1–5.9 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.4%4.5–6.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%5.4–8.8 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%22.6–31.2 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%10.1–14.5 | 12.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.4%10.6–14.4 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.6–7.8 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.5–3.4 | 3.4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 New Sharon
Is New Sharon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Sharon is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ 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 New Sharon?
CDC estimates 36.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29% and 43.7%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to New Sharon?
Mahaska Health Partnership in Oskaloosa, 11.9 miles in a straight line from New Sharon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in New Sharon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–7.5%), 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 New Sharon more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in New Sharon.
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.