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Spirit Lake Massacre Log CabinSpirit Lake Massacre Log Cabin · Photo: C.h.carroll at English Wikipedia · Public domain
–Not graded
Health in Okoboji · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Okoboji residents get care

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

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Okoboji

Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Okoboji

1 in 7 adults have had cancer (14.4%), vs 8.7% across Iowa. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.2%), vs 6.6% across Iowa. Arthritis is also above the state: 35.5%, vs 27% across Iowa. In all, Okoboji runs above Iowa on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

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

42.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 85.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Okoboji keeps up with checkups

It beats Iowa on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.5% vs 77.5%) and dentist visits (75% vs 66.8%). Checkups ↓

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 Okoboji’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Okoboji adults…

Okoboji runs below IA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.

14 of every 100 Okoboji adults have had cancer
Iowa: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 13–16%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Why age matters here

Okoboji is an older town: 35% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Okoboji as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Okoboji35%
Iowa18%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

84%Yearly checkupIA 78%
75%Dentist visitIA 67%
91%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
75%Colon screeningIA 67%
81%MammogramIA 79%
86%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 23
working-age adults has no health insurance
Okoboji 4.4% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Getting care

Care in and near Okoboji

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

HNearest ERLakes Regional HealthcareSpirit Lake · 2.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySpencer Municipal Hospital★★★★★ · 16.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Center of Fort DodgeSpencer · 16.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.1 mi
Lakes Regional Healthcare
Spirit Lake · ★★★★★
ER
15.1 mi
Avera Holy Family Hospital
Estherville · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
16.5 mi
Spencer Municipal Hospital
Spencer · ★★★★★
ER
16.9 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
2 sites · nearest in Spencer
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17.5 mi
Sanford Jackson Medical Center
Jackson · not rated
ERRural critical access
28.8 mi
Rural Health Care
3 sites · nearest in Worthington
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careOkoboji is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careOkoboji is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Okoboji 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 Okoboji; ≈ 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 23.5%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.4%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 15%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 11.1%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Okoboji, betterOkoboji, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Okoboji gets moving

8.3 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Okoboji adults are doing

On 3 of 4 measures, Okoboji does better than Iowa.

1 in 4Okoboji adults feel lonely
26.7% · IA 32.3% · Better than IA
1 in 5Okoboji adults lack social or emotional support
18.6% · IA 23.3% · Better than IA
1 in 6Okoboji adults have been diagnosed with depression
17.5% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 8Okoboji adults are in frequent mental distress
12.2% · IA 16.4% · Better than IA
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 4 Okoboji 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 15
Okoboji adults worry about having enough food
6.8% · IA 12%
Better than IA
1 in 19
Okoboji adults worry about keeping their housing
5.2% · IA 9.4%
Better than IA
1 in 26
Okoboji adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
3.8% · IA 6.4%
Better than IA
1 in 24
Okoboji adults lack reliable transportation
4.2% · IA 6.8%
Better than IA

5.6% of Okoboji adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

Okoboji and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Spirit LakeB38.5%11.7%14.7%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

29.3%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15%
Thinking or memory10.1%
Hearing10.2%
Errands alone6.5%
Vision4%
Dressing or bathing3.4%
Iowa

Questions about health in Okoboji

Why doesn’t Okoboji have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Okoboji?

Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Okoboji’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

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

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.