Ames, IA health
Ames differs from Iowa on 24 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with arthritis (15.1% vs 27%) and fewer adults with heart disease (3.7% vs 6.6%). Where it trails the state: more adults without reliable transportation (11.1% vs 6.8%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for AmesHow Ames compares with Iowa
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Everyday needs
Disability
Out of every 100 Ames adults…
Bars show Ames; the black tick is Iowa. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
IA 24.8%
IA 32.5%
IA 20.5%
IA 14.5%
Keeping up with care
Share of Ames adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Ames adults are doing
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.7% of Ames adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Living with a disability
of Ames adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Iowa. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Ames and the towns around it
Care nearby
Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Ames. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
All 40 measures for Ames
| Measure | Ames | Margin | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 23.2% | 20.4–25.9% | 33.9% | better |
| High cholesterol | 27.7% | 24.7–30.6% | 35.3% | better |
| Obesity | 31.1% | 25.9–36.2% | 37.7% | better |
| Arthritis | 15.1% | 13.4–16.9% | 27% | better |
| Depression | 23.5% | 20.2–26.6% | 20.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 8.6% | 7–10.4% | 11.6% | better |
| Asthma | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 5% | 4.5–5.4% | 8.7% | better |
| Diabetes | 6.4% | 5.6–7.3% | 11.2% | better |
| COPD | 4.3% | 3.9–4.8% | 6.9% | better |
| Heart disease | 3.7% | 3.3–4.1% | 6.6% | better |
| Stroke | 1.9% | 1.7–2% | 3.3% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3% | 9.8–12.9% | 14.5% | better |
| Binge drink | 24.2% | 20.6–27.6% | 20.5% | worse |
| Get no exercise | 21.3% | 18.1–24.5% | 24.8% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.1% | 24.1–33.9% | 32.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 72.7% | 68.8–76% | 77.5% | worse |
| Dentist visit | 63.1% | 59.6–66.3% | 66.8% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 71.6% | 68.9–74% | 84.1% | worse |
| Colon screening | 71.6% | 67.1–75.5% | 66.6% | better |
| Mammogram | 78.8% | 71.9–84.4% | 78.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 61.5% | 59–63.6% | 77.8% | worse |
| No health insurance | 7.5% | 6.4–8.6% | 7.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 37.5% | 33.1–42% | 32.3% | worse |
| Lack emotional support | 22.2% | 19.2–25.3% | 23.3% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 20.1% | 18–22.2% | 16.4% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 16.1% | 14.1–18.1% | 17.8% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 10.1% | 8.9–11.3% | 12.7% | better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 16.3% | 14.2–18.5% | 12% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 10.9% | 9.4–12.5% | 9.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 8% | 7–9.1% | 6.4% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 11.1% | 9.8–12.3% | 6.8% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 13.7% | 12–15.5% | 10% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2% | 24.9–31.7% | 28.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 7.5% | 6.6–8.5% | 12.7% | |
| Thinking or memory | 17.9% | 16–19.8% | 13.5% | |
| Hearing | 5.2% | 4.6–5.7% | 7.4% | |
| Vision | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9% | 4.3% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 2.5% | 2.3–2.7% | 3.4% | |
| Errands alone | 8.8% | 7.9–9.8% | 7.4% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Iowa figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.