Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Polk Township is healthier than 79%
Polk Township differs from Missouri on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 64468, 64434, 64476. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Polk Township
Polk Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Polk Township is healthier than 50%. Against the 8,114 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 79%. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and arthritis are less common in Polk Township
Polk Township runs below Missouri on diabetes (9.8% vs 12.1%) and arthritis (24.4% vs 28.8%). Conditions ↓
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 Missouri figure falls outside Polk Township’s likely range; Polk Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 64468, 64434, 64476, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Polk Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Polk Township is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, #84 of 247 in Missouri. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 83% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Polk Township’s median household income is $57,294; among the 8,114 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 79%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Missouri towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Polk Township is healthier than 66% of graded towns, against 50% nationally.
Out of every 100 Polk Township adults…
Polk Township runs below MO on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Polk Township
1 hospital in Polk Township, 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 Polk Township; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Missouri
Share of adults, with the Missouri figure marked.
24 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Polk Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Missouri.
How Polk Township adults are doing
About the same as Missouri on each measure.
1 in 3 Polk Township 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.8% of Polk Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.8% across Missouri.
Polk Township 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Township | B− | 35.9% | 9.8% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
| Union Township | — | — | — | — | |
| White Cloud Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Monroe Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Nodaway Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Green Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Jackson Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Grant Township | — | — | — | — |
Union Township, White Cloud Township, Monroe Township, Nodaway Township, Green Township and Grant Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Jackson Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Polk Township adults live with a disability (Missouri 36.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Polk Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Polk Township is better than Missouri on 7 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Missouri figure falls inside Polk Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Polk Township | MO | U.S. | vs MO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.6%17.1–22.3 | 20.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%12–15.3 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.4–22.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.9%29.1–43.3 | 36.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.6–11.4 | 12.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.1%27.7–34.8 | 36.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.2%29.6–37.1 | 37.5% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 24.4%21.8–27.2 | 28.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.7–8.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.4%6.6–8.4 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.2%12.5–18.2 | 15.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%12.8–17.3 | 16% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.3%23.2–31.9 | 28.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15–21.6 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.1%35.7–48.8 | 36.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.8–9.9 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.6%72.8–80.1 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.3%53.5–61 | 60.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.7%76–81.1 | 84.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.3%70.8–75.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.4%57.2–67.5 | 64% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.5%66.6–81.3 | 74.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.9%23.3–31 | 24.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.7%28.9–39.1 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.7%16.7–23.3 | 20.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.8%11.5–16.4 | 13.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%9.6–13.3 | 12.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.3–9.7 | 9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%7.9–10.5 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%9–12.9 | 10.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.5%32.2–41.4 | 36.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%11.9–15.4 | 15.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.6%17.2–22 | 17.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 8.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.5–5.4 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.7–11 | 9.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 3.9% | 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 Missouri figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Polk Township
Is Polk Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Polk Township is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #84 of 247 in Missouri. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Polk Township?
CDC estimates 35.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 43.3%, against 36.6% across Missouri and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Polk Township?
Mosaic Medical Center - Maryville in Maryville, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Polk Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Polk Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–9.9%), against 8.7% across Missouri.
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 Polk Township 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 Polk Township.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Missouri 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.