Photo: Dennis Bratland · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Urbandale is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Urbandale beats Iowa on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Urbandale. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Urbandale
Fewer Urbandale adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Iowa. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Urbandale
Urbandale runs below Iowa on COPD (5.3% vs 6.9%), heart disease (5.4% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.7% vs 3.3%). Conditions ↓
Urbandale is an active town
Only 20.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. The town has 16 miles of trails across 47 parks and preserves. 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 Urbandale’s likely range.
What’s behind Urbandale’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Urbandale is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #20 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 87% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 62%.
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). Urbandale’s median household income is $112,795; among the 6,768 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$141K), it’s healthier than 72%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7% of Urbandale adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Out of every 100 Urbandale adults…
Urbandale runs below IA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
16 miles of trails across 47 parks and preserves
Care in and near Urbandale
1 community health center in Urbandale, 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 Urbandale; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Urbandale adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Urbandale adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
3 in 10 Urbandale 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.
Urbandale and the towns around it
Urbandale’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urbandale | A− | 34.6% | 9.7% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Grimes | A− | 35.4% | 7.5% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Johnston | A | 34% | 8.7% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Des Moines | C | 39.4% | 11.8% | 16.4% | CDC place |
| Clive | A | 33.4% | 9.4% | 10.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Urbandale adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Urbandale
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Urbandale is better than Iowa on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Urbandale’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Urbandale | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.6%13.2–16.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%10.3–12.5 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.8–16.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%31.4–37.8 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.7–10.8 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.5%29.2–33.8 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%33.3–38.2 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.2%24.3–28.2 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.9–9.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.5–9.4 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%10–12.8 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.6%18.5–22.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.6%18.6–22.7 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.2%27.2–33 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.1%74.9–79.3 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.8%71.6–75.9 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%85.4–88 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%75.2–79.7 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%65.6–71.8 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.4%75.7–84.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%18.5–22.5 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%28.1–33.2 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%19.6–23.6 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%7.9–10 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7%6.1–8 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.7%21.6–25.9 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10%9–11.2 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.2%10.1–12.4 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%3–3.5 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 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 Urbandale
Is Urbandale a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Urbandale is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #20 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 72%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Urbandale?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 37.8%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Urbandale?
Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines, 7.3 miles in a straight line from Urbandale’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Urbandale have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–6.2%), 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 Urbandale more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Urbandale.
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.