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Imes Covered BridgeImes Covered Bridge · Photo: Jet Lowe · Public domain
–Not graded
Health in St. Charles · CDC PLACES 2025

Where St. Charles residents get care

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

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in St. Charles

Fewer St. Charles adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

COPD and diabetes are less common in St. Charles

St. Charles runs below Iowa on COPD (5.7% vs 6.9%) and diabetes (9.5% vs 11.2%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%). Conditions ↓

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 St. Charles’ likely range.

★ What stands out · 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 12
St. Charles adults worry about having enough food
8.1% · IA 12%
Better than IA
1 in 14
St. Charles adults worry about keeping their housing
7.1% · IA 9.4%
Better than IA
1 in 21
St. Charles adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.7% · IA 6.4%
Better than IA
1 in 19
St. Charles adults lack reliable transportation
5.2% · IA 6.8%
Better than IA

6.1% of St. Charles adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 St. Charles adults…

St. Charles runs below IA on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

6 of every 100 St. Charles adults have COPD
Iowa: 7 in 100 · better · likely 4.7–6.7%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Getting care

Care in and near St. Charles

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

HNearest ERMadison County Health Care SystemWinterset · 11.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyClarke County Hospital★★★★★ · 18.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careInfinity HealthOsceola · 17.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
11.3 mi
Madison County Health Care System
Winterset · not rated
ERRural critical access
17.5 mi
Infinity Health
2 sites · nearest in Osceola
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.1 mi
Clarke County Hospital
Osceola · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
22 mi
Primary Health Care
5 sites · nearest in Des Moines
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.8 mi
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
23.4 mi
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careSt. Charles is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careSt. Charles is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthSt. Charles is not a shortage area

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 St. Charles; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa

Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.

Get no exercise 20.8%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.6%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 21.7%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 12.2%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
St. Charles, betterSt. Charles, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where St. Charles gets moving

0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%Yearly checkupIA 78%
73%Dentist visitIA 67%
86%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
72%Colon screeningIA 67%
78%MammogramIA 79%
77%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 18
working-age adults has no health insurance
St. Charles 5.5% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection

How St. Charles adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

1 in 3St. Charles adults feel lonely
31.8% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 4St. Charles adults lack social or emotional support
22.6% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5St. Charles adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.2% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 6St. Charles adults are in frequent mental distress
15.6% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 St. Charles 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.

Around town

St. Charles 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.

25.3%

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

Walking or climbing stairs10.7%
Thinking or memory12.2%
Hearing7%
Errands alone6.2%
Vision3.3%
Dressing or bathing2.6%
Iowa

Questions about health in St. Charles

Why doesn’t St. Charles have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to St. Charles?

Madison County Health Care System in Winterset, 11.3 miles in a straight line from St. Charles’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in St. Charles.

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.