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Sumner IA, October 2013Photo: Orange Suede Sofa · CC BY-SA 3.0
≈ B−Health Grade
Health in Sumner · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sumner is healthier than 77%

Sumner differs from Iowa on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 6 worse.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Sumner

Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Sumner

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.2%), vs 8.7% across Iowa. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 6.6% across Iowa. Stroke is also above the state: 4.1%, vs 3.3% across Iowa. In all, Sumner runs above Iowa on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Sumner, and more people treating it

38.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 81.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Sumner is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Sumner is healthier than 50%. Against the 8,618 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 77%. Health Grade ↓

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 Sumner’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Sumner’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sumner is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 22%).

BSelf-rated health18.8% · IA 17.8% · U.S. 19.4%
BPhysical distress13.8% · IA 12.7% · U.S. 13%
A−Mental distress15.4% · IA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
C−Obesity39.8% · IA 37.7% · U.S. 32.9%
B−Diabetes12.3% · IA 11.2% · U.S. 12%
B−Smoking15.2% smoke · IA 14.5% · U.S. 11.8%
C+Exercise26.4% · IA 24.8% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 50%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $44K–$74K (8,618)Healthier than 77%

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). Sumner’s median household income is $58,854; among the 8,618 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.

Where Sumner compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81.4% (U.S. 76.5%).

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Sumner could be anywhere from D to A−. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Sumner adults…

Sumner runs above IA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Sumner adults have had cancer
Iowa: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 10–12.4%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupIA 78%
68%Dentist visitIA 67%
87%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
68%Colon screeningIA 67%
78%MammogramIA 79%
81%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sumner 6.6% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Getting care

Care in and near Sumner

1 hospital in Sumner, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERCommunity Memorial Hospital Medical CenterSumner · 0.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyGundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinics★★★★★ · 16.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePeoples Community Health ClinicWaterloo · 26.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.6 mi
Community Memorial Hospital Medical Center
Sumner · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Sumner
15.5 mi
Mercyone Oelwein Medical Center
Oelwein · not rated
ERRural critical access
16.7 mi
Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinics
West Union · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
18.5 mi
Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton
New Hampton · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.9 mi
Peoples Community Health Clinic
3 sites · nearest in Waterloo
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
46.9 mi
Eastern Iowa Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Vinton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Sumner itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Sumner itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Sumner 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 Sumner; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa

Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.

Get no exercise 26.4%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 33%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 18.7%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 15.2%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Sumner, betterSumner, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Sumner gets moving

0 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Sumner adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

3 in 10Sumner adults feel lonely
29.4% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Sumner adults lack social or emotional support
21.6% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Sumner adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.7% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 6Sumner adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Sumner 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 9
Sumner adults worry about having enough food
10.8% · IA 12%
About the same as IA
1 in 12
Sumner adults worry about keeping their housing
8.2% · IA 9.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 17
Sumner adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.8% · IA 6.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 16
Sumner adults lack reliable transportation
6.2% · IA 6.8%
About the same as IA

9.5% of Sumner adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

Sumner and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
SumnerB−39.8%12.3%15.2%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

29.8%

of Sumner adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.1%
Thinking or memory13.1%
Hearing9.3%
Errands alone8%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.8%
Iowa

Every CDC estimate for Sumner

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sumner is better than Iowa on 2 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Sumner’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…SumnerIAU.S.vs IA
Overall health
Fair or poor health18.8%15.5–22.517.8%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.8%11.7–1612.7%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)15.4%13.4–17.816.4%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity39.8%32.8–47.337.7%32.9%About the same
Diabetes12.3%10.4–14.411.2%12%About the same
High blood pressure38.8%34.6–43.133.9%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37.2%33.1–41.435.3%37.1%About the same
Arthritis31.8%28.3–35.427%25.3%Worse
Asthma10%8.8–11.49.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer11.2%10–12.48.7%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.2%7.1–9.56.6%6.4%Worse
COPD8.3%6.7–106.9%6.3%About the same
Stroke4.1%3.5–4.83.3%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)15%12.3–18.211.6%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.2%12.1–18.614.5%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work26.4%21.7–31.824.8%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking18.7%15.6–2220.5%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours33%27.8–38.832.5%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.6%4.9–8.87.3%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79.7%76.3–82.777.5%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year67.9%64.6–71.166.8%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.5%84.3–88.584.1%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)81.4%78.8–83.977.8%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)68.1%63.7–72.366.6%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)78%71.1–8478.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression19.7%16.7–23.120.7%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely29.4%24.8–34.532.3%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support21.6%18–25.723.3%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food10.8%8.2–13.612%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing8.2%6.6–10.29.4%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off5.8%4.8–7.16.4%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation6.2%5.1–7.56.8%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)9.5%7.2–12.310%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability29.8%25.4–34.528.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs15.1%12.4–18.112.7%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering13.1%11.1–15.413.5%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty9.3%8.1–10.77.4%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.7%3.9–5.64.3%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8%6.7–9.57.4%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.8%3.2–4.63.4%3.8%About the same

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 Sumner

Is Sumner a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sumner is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Sumner?

CDC estimates 39.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 47.3%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Sumner?

Community Memorial Hospital Medical Center in Sumner, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Sumner’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Sumner have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–8.8%), 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 Sumner more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sumner.

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. 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.