Photo: David Wilson · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Perry is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns
Perry differs from Iowa on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Perry. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Perry
Making ends meet is harder in Perry
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20%), vs 12% across Iowa. Housing insecurity (15.6% vs 9.4%) and no reliable transportation (10.2% vs 6.8%) are higher too. 16.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Perry has no health insurance
14.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 7.3% across Iowa. Checkups ↓
More Perry adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.9%), vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
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 Perry’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Perry’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Perry is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns, #121 of 140 in Iowa. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 51% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Perry’s median household income is $68,910; among the 10,456 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 24%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.3% of Perry adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Keeping up with care
Share of Perry adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
0.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Perry adults…
Perry runs below IA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Perry
1 hospital in Perry, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Perry; ≈ 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).
How Perry adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Perry 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.
Perry and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry | C− | 39.5% | 14.2% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Perry adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Perry
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Perry is better than Iowa on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Perry’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Perry | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%21.1–27.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.4–17 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15–19 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.5%33.5–45.9 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.4–16.1 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.4%32.8–40.1 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%32.8–40.5 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.6%24.8–30.5 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–11 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7–8.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%7–9.2 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.4%13.5–19.7 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.4–19.2 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.9%28.2–37.7 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.4–21.4 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%26.8–37.3 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.9%12.4–17.5 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%71.6–78.7 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.8%55–62.4 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.9%79.6–84 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%75.1–80.4 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.7%54.6–64.7 | 66.6% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.7%68.3–82.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.4%16.6–22.4 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%27.5–36.5 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26%22.6–29.7 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20%17–23.1 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.6%13.3–17.9 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.6%8.4–11.1 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.3%13.8–18.9 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.6%30.4–38.8 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%13.9–18.2 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.4–18.5 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.1–10.4 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 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 Perry
Is Perry a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Perry is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #121 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 24%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Perry?
CDC estimates 39.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.5% and 45.9%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Perry?
Dallas County Hospital in Perry, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Perry’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Perry have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.4–17.5%), 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 Perry 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 Perry.
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.