Photo: Scott A. Miller · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Storm Lake is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns
Storm Lake differs from Iowa on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Storm Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Storm Lake
1 in 6 working-age adults in Storm Lake has no health insurance
17.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 7.3% across Iowa. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Storm Lake
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24.1%), about twice the Iowa rate. Housing insecurity (17.5% vs 9.4%) and no reliable transportation (11.6% vs 6.8%) are higher too. 18.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Storm Lake adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.6%), 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 Storm Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Storm Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Storm Lake is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns, #111 of 140 in Iowa. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 51% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Storm Lake’s median household income is $62,765; among the 9,561 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Storm Lake compares well: arthritis, 21.7% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%); ever told they have depression, 17.6% (U.S. 20.6%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Storm Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.4% of Storm Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Storm Lake adults…
Storm Lake runs below IA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Storm Lake residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Storm Lake
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Storm Lake, 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 Storm Lake; ≈ 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 Storm Lake adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Storm Lake runs above Iowa.
2 in 5 Storm Lake 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.
Storm Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Lake | C | 38.5% | 12.9% | 16.2% | CDC place |
| Lakeside | — | — | — | — |
Lakeside: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Storm Lake adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Storm Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Storm Lake is better than Iowa on 3 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Storm Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Storm Lake | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.3%22.1–28.6 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.5–15.9 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.3–19.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%31.7–45.5 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.3–14.6 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.6%28–35.3 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%30.6–38.5 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.7%19.2–24.3 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.7%5.8–7.6 | 6.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%15.1–21.7 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%13.8–18.5 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.6%28.8–38.3 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%14.5–20.7 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%30.3–41.4 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.3%14.4–20.1 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.7%70.9–78.3 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%55.4–62.2 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.5%76–81 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74%71–76.7 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.9%50.8–61.1 | 66.6% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76%68.8–82.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%14.8–20.5 | 20.7% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 37.7%32.5–43.2 | 32.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.4%26.4–34.7 | 23.3% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.1%20.7–27.9 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.5%15.1–20 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.4%9–11.8 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%10.1–13.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.4%15.7–21.3 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.5–35.6 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%12.7–16.5 | 12.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%14.8–19.1 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.4–8 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–4.9 | 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 Storm Lake
Is Storm Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Storm Lake is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #111 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Storm Lake?
CDC estimates 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 45.5%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Storm Lake?
Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Storm Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Storm Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.4–20.1%), 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 Storm Lake 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 Storm Lake.
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.