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Mason City SchoolMason City School · Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
–Not graded
Health in Mason City · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Mason City residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Mason City, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mason City. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Mason City

The nearest ER is 22 miles from Mason City

The closest emergency room is Jennie M Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow, 21.6 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓

More high blood pressure in Mason City, and more people treating it

36.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Nebraska 32.6%), but 80.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.5% statewide. Checkups ↓

Cancer runs high in Mason City

1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.8%), vs 8.3% across Nebraska. 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 Nebraska figure falls outside Mason City’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Getting care

Care in and near Mason City

No hospital or community health center in Mason City itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERJennie M Melham Memorial Medical CenterBroken Bow · 21.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHeartland Health CenterRavenna · 24.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
21.6 mi
Jennie M Melham Memorial Medical Center
Broken Bow · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
24.2 mi
Heartland Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Ravenna
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
32.1 mi
Valley County Health System
Ord · not rated
ERRural critical access
33 mi
Callaway District Hospital
Callaway · not rated
ERRural critical access
≈37.7 mi
CHI Health Good Samaritan
Kearney · ★★★★★
ER
91.7 mi
Midtown Health Center
4 sites · nearest in Oneill
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careMason City is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careMason City is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Mason City itself

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 Mason City; ≈ 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Mason City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Nebraska.

77%Yearly checkupNE 76%
71%Dentist visitNE 64%
85%Cholesterol checkNE 84%
61%Colon screeningNE 62%
72%MammogramNE 75%
81%Taking BP medsNE 78%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Mason City 8% · Nebraska 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Mason City adults…

Mason City runs below NE on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Mason City adults have had cancer
Nebraska: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.8–10.9%
Better than NEWorseAbout the sameNebraska
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska

Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.

Get no exercise 26.4%NE 24.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.7%NE 31.3%
Binge drink 20.1%NE 19.7%
Smoke cigarettes 13.7%NE 13.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Mason City, betterMason City, worseAbout the sameNebraska
Where Mason City gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Mason City adults are doing

About the same as Nebraska on each measure.

3 in 10Mason City adults feel lonely
28.8% · NE 29.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 5Mason City adults lack social or emotional support
19.6% · NE 20.5% · About the same as NE
1 in 6Mason City adults have been diagnosed with depression
16.3% · NE 18.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 8Mason City adults are in frequent mental distress
13.2% · NE 14.1% · About the same as NE
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Mason City adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 10
Mason City adults worry about having enough food
9.9% · NE 12.3%
About the same as NE
1 in 13
Mason City adults worry about keeping their housing
7.7% · NE 9.5%
About the same as NE
1 in 18
Mason City adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.5% · NE 6.4%
About the same as NE
1 in 18
Mason City adults lack reliable transportation
5.5% · NE 6.7%
About the same as NE

7.1% of Mason City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.

Around town

Mason City and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

26.7%

of Mason City adults live with a disability (Nebraska 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.3%
Thinking or memory11.3%
Hearing8.2%
Errands alone6.7%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.2%
Nebraska

Questions about health in Mason City

Why doesn’t Mason City have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Mason City.

What hospital is closest to Mason City?

Jennie M Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow, 21.6 miles in a straight line from Mason City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Mason City.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.