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Ralston, IAPhoto: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
Health in Ralston · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Ralston residents get care

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

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

Fair or poor health
17.2%
About the same as IA (17.8%)
Obesity
37.7%
About the same as IA (37.7%)
No exercise
26%
About the same as IA (24.8%)
Uninsured
7%
About the same as IA (7.3%)
Feel lonely
31.7%
About the same as IA (32.3%)
Nearest ER
12.3 mi
St. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home
What stands out

What stands out about health in Ralston

2 of 3federal care shortage designations
★ What stands out · Getting care

Care in and near Ralston

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

HNearest ERSt. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing HomeCarroll · 12.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySt. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home★★★★★ · 12.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Center of Fort DodgeDayton · 32.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.3 mi
St. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home
Carroll · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
12.6 mi
Greene County Medical Center
Jefferson · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
16.7 mi
Stewart Memorial Community Hospital
Lake City · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
24.7 mi
Manning Regional Healthcare Center
Manning · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
32.5 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
3 sites · nearest in Dayton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
39.2 mi
Proteus, Inc. - Fort Dodge Site
Fort Dodge · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
Directions
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Ralston itself
✓ Dental careRalston is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Ralston 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 Ralston; ≈ 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).

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Ralston adults…

On every condition, Ralston is about the same as Iowa. Tap one to see it as people.

35 of every 100 Ralston adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · about the same · likely 31.1–38.9%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa

Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.

Get no exercise 26%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.8%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 21.3%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 14.1%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Ralston, betterRalston, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Ralston gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%Yearly checkupIA 78%
68%Dentist visitIA 67%
84%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
68%Colon screeningIA 67%
73%MammogramIA 79%
79%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Ralston 7% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection

How Ralston adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

1 in 3Ralston adults feel lonely
31.7% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 4Ralston adults lack social or emotional support
23% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Ralston adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.1% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 6Ralston adults are in frequent mental distress
16.2% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Ralston 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
Ralston adults worry about having enough food
10.2% · IA 12%
About the same as IA
1 in 13
Ralston adults worry about keeping their housing
8% · IA 9.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 19
Ralston adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.3% · IA 6.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 17
Ralston adults lack reliable transportation
6% · IA 6.8%
About the same as IA

7.8% of Ralston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

Ralston 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.

28.4%

of Ralston adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13%
Thinking or memory13.5%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone7.3%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.2%
Iowa

Questions about health in Ralston

Why doesn’t Ralston have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Ralston?

St. Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home in Carroll, 12.3 miles in a straight line from Ralston’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 Ralston.

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.