Alma City Auditorium and Sale Barn · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0On CDC estimates, Alma is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
Alma differs from Nebraska on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alma. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alma
Heart disease, cancer and stroke run high in Alma
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.1%), vs 6.1% across Nebraska. 1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.3%), vs 8.3% across Nebraska. Stroke is also above the state: 4.4%, vs 3.1% across Nebraska. In all, Alma runs above Nebraska on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Nebraska 17%), and heart disease, cancer and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Alma, and more people treating it
40.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Nebraska 32.6%), but 83.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.5% statewide. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 22 miles from Alma
The closest emergency room is Franklin County Memorial Hospital in Franklin, 21.7 miles away in a straight line. 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 Nebraska figure falls outside Alma’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Alma’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alma is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 95% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Alma’s median household income is $75,703; among the 10,845 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 66%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Alma adults…
Alma runs below NE on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Alma is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Nebraska. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Alma as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Alma adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.
Care in and near Alma
1 hospital in Alma, 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 Alma; ≈ 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 Nebraska
Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Alma adults are doing
About the same as Nebraska on each measure.
3 in 10 Alma 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.
7.4% of Alma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.
Alma and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma | B | 34.7% | 13.3% | 13.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Alma adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alma
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alma is better than Nebraska on 5 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Nebraska figure falls inside Alma’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alma | NE | U.S. | vs NE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%14.3–21.9 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.4–16.2 | 11.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%10.9–14.8 | 14.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.7%25.7–44 | 37.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.1–15.7 | 10.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.7%35.5–45.6 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%34–44.5 | 33% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.3%28.1–36.5 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.2%7.9–10.5 | 9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.3%11–13.7 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.1%7.7–10.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.4%6.6–10.3 | 6.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.7–5.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.8%5.5–8.5 | 12.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%10.2–16.5 | 13.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.5%24.2–37 | 24.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.3–20.2 | 19.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%23.9–36.2 | 31.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%6.3–11.1 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%75.5–82.9 | 75.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.2%62.9–69.7 | 64.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.2–89.2 | 83.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.8%81.2–86.3 | 77.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.4%60.4–70 | 62.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%64.2–79.7 | 75% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.5%13.5–19.8 | 18.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.6%23.4–34.4 | 29.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.8%16.2–23.9 | 20.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.3%7.7–13.2 | 12.3% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%5.8–9.1 | 9.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.1–6.1 | 6.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.6–6.8 | 6.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%5.4–9.7 | 8.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%27.8–39.2 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%13.3–20.3 | 12% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%9.6–13.9 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11%9.4–12.8 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.1–6.1 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.4–9.6 | 6.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.1–4.7 | 3.2% | 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 Nebraska figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alma
Is Alma a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alma is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 66%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alma?
CDC estimates 34.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 44%, against 37.7% across Nebraska and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alma?
Franklin County Memorial Hospital in Franklin, 21.7 miles in a straight line from Alma’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Alma have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–11.1%), against 9.9% across Nebraska.
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 Alma 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 Alma.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Nebraska 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.