Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Waterloo is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns
Waterloo differs from Iowa on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waterloo. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waterloo
Waterloo is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Waterloo is healthier than 27%. Against the 8,165 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 45%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Waterloo
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.9%), vs 12% across Iowa. Utility shut-off threats (9.7% vs 6.4%) and no reliable transportation (9.9% vs 6.8%) are higher too. 17.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Diabetes, stroke and COPD run high in Waterloo
1 in 7 adults have diabetes (13.6%), vs 11.2% across Iowa. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.9%), vs 3.3% across Iowa. COPD is also above the state: 8.1%, vs 6.9% across Iowa. In all, Waterloo runs above Iowa on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Waterloo
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.9%), vs 14.5% across Iowa. Habits ↓
Waterloo has a top-rated hospital
Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Waterloo’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Waterloo’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterloo is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns, #116 of 140 in Iowa. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 57% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Waterloo’s median household income is $57,480; among the 8,165 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 45%, 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.
17.7% of Waterloo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Out of every 100 Waterloo adults…
Waterloo runs below IA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
44 miles of trails across 62 parks and preserves
Care in and near Waterloo
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Waterloo, 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 Waterloo; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Waterloo adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Waterloo adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Waterloo 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.
Waterloo and the towns around it
Waterloo’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | C | 44% | 13.6% | 18.9% | CDC place |
| Evansdale | D | 44.5% | 14.5% | 21.7% | CDC place |
| Cedar Falls | A− | 37% | 9% | 12.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waterloo adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waterloo
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waterloo is better than Iowa on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Waterloo’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waterloo | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.3%20.2–24.6 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.3–15.3 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.7–19.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44%39.8–48.4 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%34.3–40.2 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%35–41 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.5%26.2–31 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7.1–8.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.4–7.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%7.3–9 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.2%11.9–16.8 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.9%16.9–21 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.5%24.5–30.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.5%17–22.2 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%33.6–40.3 | 32.5% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.9–10.2 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%76.6–81.9 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.4%59.8–65.1 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%81.6–85 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%75–79.9 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%65.8–72.5 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%73.3–82.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%18.5–23.7 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.7%29.3–36.3 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.7–28.5 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.9%16–20 | 12% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%11.2–14.4 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.9%8.9–11 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.7%15.8–19.7 | 10% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.9%28.9–35.1 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.3%13.7–16.9 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%14.1–17.2 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.3–6.2 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.4–10.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 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 Waterloo
Is Waterloo a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterloo is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #116 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waterloo?
CDC estimates 44% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.8% and 48.4%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waterloo?
Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center in Waterloo, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Waterloo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waterloo have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–10.2%), 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 Waterloo 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 Waterloo.
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.