Stone Academy · Photo: Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Solon is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns
Solon beats Iowa on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Solon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Solon
Solon is the healthiest town in Iowa we grade
Out of 140 Iowa towns with a Health Grade, Solon comes first on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 95% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Solon is an active town
Only 16.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
COPD and diabetes are less common in Solon
Solon runs below Iowa on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5% vs 6.9%), diabetes (8.6% vs 11.2%) and obesity (29.4% vs 37.7%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Solon adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 15 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 Solon’s likely range.
What’s behind Solon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Solon is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns, #1 of 140 in Iowa. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 96% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 85%.
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). Solon’s median household income is $113,295; among the 6,701 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$142K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
1 mile of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Solon adults…
Solon runs below IA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.2% of Solon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Care in and near Solon
No hospital or community health center in Solon 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 Solon; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Solon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Solon adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Solon does better than Iowa.
3 in 10 Solon 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.
Solon and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solon | A | 29.4% | 8.6% | 10.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Solon adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Solon
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Solon is better than Iowa on 19 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Solon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Solon | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.4%10.1–15 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10%8.4–11.7 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.1–16.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.4%25.2–33.9 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.2–10 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.7%27.6–34 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.4%29.2–35.9 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.1%21.4–26.9 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.7–6.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%3.9–6.2 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.3–3.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8%6.5–9.7 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.3%7.7–13.1 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.5%13.1–20 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 22.7%19.9–25.8 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.5%24.5–32.8 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%3.6–6.5 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.9–81.6 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72%69.1–74.8 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.1–89.3 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.5–80.9 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%63.4–71.8 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.6%77.2–87.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.9%17.1–22.7 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.6%25.7–33.8 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%17.5–24.3 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.7%4.9–9 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.3%4.8–8 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.4–5.3 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.6–5.5 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.2%3.6–7 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.5%18.9–26.3 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.8%7.9–12 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.6%8.7–12.6 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.7–7.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.5–3.7 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.6–6.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2–2.9 | 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 Solon
Is Solon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Solon is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns: A for health, #1 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Solon?
CDC estimates 29.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.2% and 33.9%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Solon?
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down in Iowa City, 10.0 miles in a straight line from Solon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Solon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.6–6.5%), 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 Solon more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Solon.
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.