Photo: en:User:Cburnett · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Winterset is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Winterset differs from Iowa on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Winterset. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Winterset
Winterset is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Winterset is healthier than 70%. Against the 10,301 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 88%. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Winterset 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 ↓
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 Winterset’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Winterset’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winterset is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #45 of 140 in Iowa. Fair or poor health holds the grade up (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 77% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 47%).
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). Winterset’s median household income is $67,708; among the 10,301 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 88%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.6% of Winterset adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Out of every 100 Winterset adults…
Winterset runs above IA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Winterset
1 hospital in Winterset, 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 Winterset; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Iowa
Share of adults, with the Iowa figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Winterset adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Winterset adults are doing
About the same as Iowa on each measure.
1 in 3 Winterset 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.
Winterset and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winterset | B+ | 36.5% | 10.5% | 13.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Winterset adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Winterset
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Winterset is better than Iowa on 5 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Iowa figure falls inside Winterset’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Winterset | IA | U.S. | vs IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.2%13.6–19.2 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.7–14.3 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%13.8–18.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.5%28.8–43.9 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%8.9–12.1 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.9%29.8–37.7 | 33.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%31.8–40.4 | 35.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.7%24.4–30.9 | 27% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.8–10.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.6–7.8 | 6.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.7–11.8 | 11.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.8%11.1–16.6 | 14.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.6%19.1–28.2 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.5%17–24 | 20.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%25.3–37.4 | 32.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%4.8–7.8 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.2–81.2 | 77.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.1%65.6–72.6 | 66.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%83.4–87.6 | 84.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.4–80.8 | 77.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.5%66.7–76.2 | 66.6% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.5%73.6–86.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.3%17.1–23.6 | 20.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%27–37.3 | 32.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%19.5–26.8 | 23.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.5%7.5–11.6 | 12% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.3–9.2 | 9.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.3–6.1 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.6%5.8–9.4 | 10% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6%23.5–31.9 | 28.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%10.4–14.5 | 12.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13%11.1–15.1 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.7–8.6 | 7.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 4.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6–8.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.5 | 3.4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Winterset
Is Winterset a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winterset is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #45 of 140 in Iowa. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Winterset?
CDC estimates 36.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.8% and 43.9%, against 37.7% across Iowa and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Winterset?
Madison County Health Care System in Winterset, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Winterset’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Winterset have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–7.8%), 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 Winterset more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Winterset.
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.