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–Not graded
Health in Polk · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Polk residents get care

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

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

Fair or poor health
16.7%
About the same as NE (16.1%)
Obesity
40%
About the same as NE (37.7%)
No exercise
28.5%
About the same as NE (24.3%)
Uninsured
9.6%
About the same as NE (9.9%)
Feel lonely
29.5%
About the same as NE (29.3%)
Nearest ER
11.7 mi
Merrick Medical Center
What stands out

What stands out about health in Polk

7.9%have heart disease · NE 6.1%
★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Polk adults…

Polk runs above NE on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Polk adults have heart disease
Nebraska: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 6.9–9%
Better than NEWorseAbout the sameNebraska
Getting care

Care in and near Polk

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

HNearest ERMerrick Medical CenterCentral City · 11.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyYork General Health Care Services★★★★★ · 17.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHeartland Health CenterGrand Island · 32 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
11.7 mi
Merrick Medical Center
Central City · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
13.9 mi
Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Health Center
Osceola · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
17.5 mi
York General Health Care Services
York · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
18.3 mi
Memorial Hospital
Aurora · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
32 mi
Heartland Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Grand Island
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
33.9 mi
East Central District Health Department/Good Neighbor Community Health Center
Columbus · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
Directions
✓ Primary carePolk is not a shortage area
✓ Dental carePolk is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Polk 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 Polk; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Nebraska

Share of adults, with the Nebraska figure marked.

Get no exercise 28.5%NE 24.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.4%NE 31.3%
Binge drink 19.2%NE 19.7%
Smoke cigarettes 13.6%NE 13.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Polk, betterPolk, worseAbout the sameNebraska
Where Polk gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

75%Yearly checkupNE 76%
60%Dentist visitNE 64%
85%Cholesterol checkNE 84%
61%Colon screeningNE 62%
72%MammogramNE 75%
81%Taking BP medsNE 78%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Polk 9.6% · Nebraska 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Polk adults are doing

About the same as Nebraska on each measure.

3 in 10Polk adults feel lonely
29.5% · NE 29.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 5Polk adults lack social or emotional support
21% · NE 20.5% · About the same as NE
1 in 6Polk adults have been diagnosed with depression
17% · NE 18.3% · About the same as NE
1 in 7Polk adults are in frequent mental distress
13.9% · NE 14.1% · About the same as NE
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Polk 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 9
Polk adults worry about having enough food
10.9% · NE 12.3%
About the same as NE
1 in 12
Polk adults worry about keeping their housing
8.5% · NE 9.5%
About the same as NE
1 in 18
Polk adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.5% · NE 6.4%
About the same as NE
1 in 16
Polk adults lack reliable transportation
6.1% · NE 6.7%
About the same as NE

7.5% of Polk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.5% across Nebraska.

Around town

Polk 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.

30.3%

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

Walking or climbing stairs13.8%
Thinking or memory12.2%
Hearing9.7%
Errands alone7.3%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.4%
Nebraska

Questions about health in Polk

Why doesn’t Polk have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Polk?

Merrick Medical Center in Central City, 11.7 miles in a straight line from Polk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Polk.

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.