Photo: Iowahwyman · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, West Des Moines is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
West Des Moines differs from Iowa on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Des Moines. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Des Moines
COPD and heart disease are less common in West Des Moines
West Des Moines runs below Iowa on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.6% vs 6.9%), heart disease (4.7% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.4% vs 3.3%). Conditions ↓
West Des Moines is an active town
Only 19.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across Iowa. The town has 44 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Fewer West Des Moines adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, 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 ↓
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 West Des Moines’ likely range.
What’s behind West Des Moines’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Des Moines is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, #10 of 140 in Iowa. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 68%.
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). West Des Moines’ median household income is $86,594; among the 10,274 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$108K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 West Des Moines adults…
West Des Moines runs below IA on 10 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.
44 miles of trails across 36 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.
7.1% of West Des Moines adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Care in and near West Des Moines
No hospital or community health center in West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines; ≈ 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 West Des Moines adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How West Des Moines adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 West Des Moines 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.
West Des Moines and the towns around it
West Des Moines’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Des Moines | A | 33.6% | 8.6% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Des Moines | C | 39.4% | 11.8% | 16.4% | CDC place |
| Cumming | — | — | — | — | |
| Waukee | A | 32.3% | 8% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Clive | A | 33.4% | 9.4% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Windsor Heights | A− | 35.5% | 10.4% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Norwalk | A− | 38.5% | 8.3% | 11.8% | CDC place |
Cumming: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Des Moines adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Des Moines
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Des Moines is better than Iowa on 20 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside West Des Moines’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Des Moines | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%12.5–15 | 17.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.5%9.6–11.5 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%14.3–16.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%30.6–36.7 | 37.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.8–9.5 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.6%26.6–30.6 | 33.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33%30.8–35.2 | 35.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.1%21.4–24.8 | 27% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.6–10.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.9–8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 6.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.6–7.8 | 11.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 14.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.6%17.8–21.7 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21.6%19.6–23.7 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.2%27.2–33.2 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%5–6.4 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%73.4–77.7 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.2%71–75.3 | 66.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.9%83.5–86.2 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%72.8–77.2 | 77.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%65.7–71.7 | 66.6% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%76.5–84.6 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%18.7–22.6 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%28.9–34 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%19.8–23.8 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.1%7.3–9 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.8–6 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%6.2–8 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.8%20.9–24.8 | 28.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%8–9.8 | 12.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%10.5–12.5 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.9–6 | 7.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.9–3.3 | 4.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2.2–2.5 | 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 West Des Moines
Is West Des Moines a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Des Moines is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health, #10 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Des Moines?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 36.7%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Des Moines?
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi in Des Moines, 8.2 miles in a straight line from West Des Moines’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Des Moines have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–6.4%), 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 West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines.
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.