Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Norwalk is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Norwalk beats Iowa on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Norwalk. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Norwalk
COPD and heart disease are less common in Norwalk
Norwalk runs below Iowa on four chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.7% vs 6.9%), heart disease (4.5% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.3% vs 3.3%). A young population is part of it: only 14% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%). Conditions ↓
Norwalk is an active town
Only 19.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
Fewer Norwalk adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 13 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 Norwalk’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Norwalk’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Norwalk is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #22 of 140 in Iowa. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Norwalk’s median household income is $102,722; among the 8,179 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($77K–$128K), it’s healthier than 78%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Norwalk adults…
Norwalk runs below IA on 7 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.
5 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.1% of Norwalk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Care in and near Norwalk
No hospital or community health center in Norwalk 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 Norwalk; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Norwalk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Norwalk adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
3 in 10 Norwalk 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.
Norwalk and the towns around it
Norwalk’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwalk | A− | 38.5% | 8.3% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Des Moines | C | 39.4% | 11.8% | 16.4% | CDC place |
| West Des Moines | A | 33.6% | 8.6% | 10.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Norwalk adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Norwalk
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Norwalk is better than Iowa on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Norwalk’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Norwalk | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.7%10.8–14.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.4%9–11.8 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.4–17.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%31.6–45.6 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7–9.6 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.1%25.5–33 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.2%29.3–37.2 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.3%20.4–26.4 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.1–8.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4–5.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.1–5.5 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.8%5.4–8.5 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%9.6–14.1 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.4%15.9–23.2 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 23.3%19.7–27.3 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.1%26.3–38.5 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%4.2–6.2 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.2%72.4–79.8 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.3%68.1–74.4 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%83.9–87.9 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%71.9–78.3 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.2%62.3–71.9 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%73.5–86 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%17.7–24.3 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%25.5–35.2 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.1%17.6–24.6 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.9%6.4–9.7 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%5.9–8.7 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.2–5.9 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.3–5.9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.1%4.8–7.6 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.1%18.7–25.7 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.8%7.5–10.3 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%9.8–13.1 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.5–3.2 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.5%4.8–6.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2–2.6 | 3.4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Norwalk
Is Norwalk a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Norwalk is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #22 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 78%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Norwalk?
CDC estimates 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 45.6%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Norwalk?
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi in Des Moines, 7.9 miles in a straight line from Norwalk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Norwalk have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6.2%), 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 Norwalk more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Norwalk.
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.