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Farmers' State BankFarmers' State Bank · Photo: Patrick B Dillon · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
Health in Volga · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Volga residents get care

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

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Volga

Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Volga

1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.2%), vs 6.6% across Iowa. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.4%), vs 6.9% across Iowa. Stroke is also above the state: 4.4%, vs 3.3% across Iowa. In all, Volga runs above Iowa on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

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

41% of adults have high blood pressure (Iowa 33.9%), but 81.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

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 Volga’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Volga adults…

Volga runs above IA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Volga adults have heart disease
Iowa: 7 in 100 · worse · likely 7.8–10.5%
Better than IAWorseAbout the sameIowa
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupIA 78%
64%Dentist visitIA 67%
85%Cholesterol checkIA 84%
73%Colon screeningIA 67%
77%MammogramIA 79%
81%Taking BP medsIA 78%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Volga 7.8% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Getting care

Care in and near Volga

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

HNearest ERMercyone Elkader Medical CenterElkader · 7.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyGundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinics★★★★★ · 17.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careScenic Bluffs Health Centers, Inc - Prairie Du ChienPrairie Du Chien · 26.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.6 mi
Mercyone Elkader Medical Center
Elkader · not rated
ERRural critical access
17.7 mi
Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital and Clinics
West Union · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
20.3 mi
Mercyone Oelwein Medical Center
Oelwein · not rated
ERRural critical access
22.4 mi
Regional Medical Center
Manchester · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
26.5 mi
Scenic Bluffs Health Centers, Inc - Prairie Du Chien
Prairie Du Chien · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
45.2 mi
Peoples Community Health Clinic
Waterloo · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Volga itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Volga itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Volga 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 Volga; ≈ 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 29.5%IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 31.7%IA 32.5%
Binge drink 19.1%IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettes 17.1%IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Volga, betterVolga, worseAbout the sameIowa
Where Volga gets moving

0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Volga adults are doing

About the same as Iowa on each measure.

1 in 3Volga adults feel lonely
31.7% · IA 32.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 4Volga adults lack social or emotional support
23.7% · IA 23.3% · About the same as IA
1 in 5Volga adults have been diagnosed with depression
19% · IA 20.7% · About the same as IA
1 in 6Volga adults are in frequent mental distress
15.8% · IA 16.4% · About the same as IA
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Volga 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 8
Volga adults worry about having enough food
12.4% · IA 12%
About the same as IA
1 in 12
Volga adults worry about keeping their housing
8.6% · IA 9.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 17
Volga adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6% · IA 6.4%
About the same as IA
1 in 15
Volga adults lack reliable transportation
6.8% · IA 6.8%
About the same as IA

10.6% of Volga adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Around town

Volga 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.

31.7%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.1%
Thinking or memory14.2%
Hearing10%
Errands alone8.5%
Vision5.1%
Dressing or bathing4.1%
Iowa

Questions about health in Volga

Why doesn’t Volga have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Volga?

Mercyone Elkader Medical Center in Elkader, 7.6 miles in a straight line from Volga’s 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 Volga.

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.