Photo: Mostly Iowa Edits · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Van Meter is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Van Meter differs from Iowa on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Van Meter. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Van Meter
COPD and heart disease are less common in Van Meter
Van Meter runs below Iowa on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.1% vs 6.9%), heart disease (4.1% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.1% vs 3.3%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Iowa 18%). Conditions ↓
Van Meter is an active town
Only 17% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. Habits ↓
Fewer Van Meter 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 Van Meter’s likely range.
What’s behind Van Meter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Meter is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 98% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 74%.
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). Van Meter’s median household income is $135,139; among the 4,023 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$169K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Van Meter adults…
Van Meter runs below IA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Van Meter residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Iowa. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.9% of Van Meter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Care in and near Van Meter
No hospital or community health center in Van Meter 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 Van Meter; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Van Meter adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Van Meter adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
3 in 10 Van Meter 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.
Van Meter and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Van Meter adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Van Meter
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Van Meter is better than Iowa on 19 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Van Meter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Van Meter | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.4%9.4–13.8 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.5%8–11 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.4–16.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%26.6–38.2 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.7%6.5–9.1 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.6%24.2–31.1 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.2%28.5–36 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.1%19.3–24.9 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.1%3.5–4.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.4–5 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.1%1.8–2.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.4–8.3 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.6%7.9–13.3 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17%13.6–20.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 23.5%19.9–27.2 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.2%23.5–33.3 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.3%3.1–5.8 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.5%71.7–78.9 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.2%71.2–77 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.2–88.6 | 84.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.9%70.6–76.9 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%63.8–72.2 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.5%76.4–87.6 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.1%17.1–23.4 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28%23.6–32.4 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.3%16.8–24.1 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.5%4.8–8.6 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.5%4.9–8.4 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.4–5.5 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.6–5.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.9%3.4–6.7 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.7%17.3–24.4 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.6%6.2–9.2 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%8.7–12.4 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.2–5.5 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.5%2.1–2.9 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.9%4–5.8 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.7–2.4 | 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 Van Meter
Is Van Meter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Meter is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Van Meter?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.6% and 38.2%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Van Meter?
Madison County Health Care System in Winterset, 14.1 miles in a straight line from Van Meter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Van Meter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.1–5.8%), 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 Van Meter 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 Van Meter.
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.