Health · Armstrong

Armstrong, IA health

Armstrong differs from Iowa on 14 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (7.2% vs 9.4%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (5.1% vs 6.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (12.6% vs 8.7%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Armstrong
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 703 people are less certain, so we show Armstrong's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Armstrong 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

Out of every 100 Armstrong adults…

42 of every 100 Armstrong adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · worse · margin 37.3–46.9%

Bars show Armstrong; the black tick is Iowa. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Armstrong, betterArmstrong, worseToo close to callIowa
Get no exerciseshare of adults 27.1% Armstrong
IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.3% Armstrong
IA 32.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17.4% Armstrong
IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.3% Armstrong
IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81%
Yearly checkup
IA 78%
67%
Dentist visit
IA 67%
88%
Cholesterol check
IA 84%
70%
Colon screening
IA 67%
80%
Mammogram
IA 79%
83%
Taking BP meds
IA 78%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Armstrong 6.1% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection

How Armstrong adults are doing

1 in 3Armstrong adults feel lonely
30.3% · Iowa 32.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Armstrong adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.9% · Iowa 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Armstrong adults lack social or emotional support
21.6% · Iowa 23.3% · too close to call
1 in 7Armstrong adults are in frequent mental distress
14.8% · Iowa 16.4% · too close to call
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
Armstrong adults worry about having enough food
9.6% · IA 12% · better
1 in 14
Armstrong adults worry about keeping their housing
7.2% · IA 9.4% · better
1 in 20
Armstrong adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.1% · IA 6.4% · better
1 in 18
Armstrong adults lack reliable transportation
5.6% · IA 6.8% · better

8.1% of Armstrong adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Disability

Living with a disability

31.9%

of Armstrong adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.3%
Thinking or memory12.7%
Hearing10.5%
Errands alone8%
Vision4.6%
Dressing or bathing3.8%

Black tick: Iowa. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Armstrong

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

HNearest ERMayo Clinic Health System - FairmontFairmont · 16.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyUnited Hospital District★★★★★ · 25.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Center of Fort DodgeSpencer · 37.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
16.1 mi
Mayo Clinic Health System - Fairmont
Fairmont · ★★★★★
ER
17.6 mi
Avera Holy Family Hospital
Estherville · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
21.7 mi
Palo Alto County Hospital
Emmetsburg · not rated
ERRural critical access
25.3 mi
United Hospital District
Blue Earth · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
37.7 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
3 sites · nearest in Spencer
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
46 mi
Rural Health Care
3 sites · nearest in Windom
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careArmstrong is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careArmstrong is not a shortage area
! Mental healthArmstrong's county is a federal shortage area.Spencer/ Spirit Lake Area · need score 15 of 25

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 Armstrong. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Armstrong
MeasureArmstrongMarginIowa
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure42%37.3–46.9%33.9%worse
High cholesterol40.1%35.5–45%35.3%worse
Obesity40.6%32.4–49.4%37.7%about the same
Arthritis34%30.1–38%27%worse
Depression18.9%15.8–22.3%20.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)10.7%8.5–13%11.6%about the same
Asthma9.8%8.5–11.1%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)12.6%11.3–14%8.7%worse
Diabetes13.2%11.1–15.5%11.2%about the same
COPD8.7%7.1–10.4%6.9%worse
Heart disease9.2%7.9–10.4%6.6%worse
Stroke4.5%3.8–5.1%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.3%11.7–17.2%14.5%about the same
Binge drink17.4%14.4–20.8%20.5%about the same
Get no exercise27.1%21.6–32.9%24.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.3%25.9–39%32.5%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.2%78–84.2%77.5%better
Dentist visit67%63.5–70.3%66.8%about the same
Cholesterol check87.6%85.8–89.3%84.1%better
Colon screening69.9%64.8–74.4%66.6%about the same
Mammogram79.9%72.7–85.6%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds83.2%80.5–85.5%77.8%better
No health insurance6.1%4.7–8%7.3%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.3%25.5–35.7%32.3%about the same
Lack emotional support21.6%18.2–25.6%23.3%about the same
Frequent mental distress14.8%12.8–16.9%16.4%about the same
Fair or poor health18.7%15.4–22.2%17.8%about the same
Frequent physical distress14.1%12–16.4%12.7%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity9.6%7.6–11.9%12%better
Housing insecurity7.2%5.9–8.8%9.4%better
Utility shut-off threat5.1%4.3–6.1%6.4%better
No reliable transportation5.6%4.7–6.6%6.8%better
Receive SNAP8.1%6.3–10.1%10%
Disability
Any disability31.9%26.9–37%28.1%
Walking or climbing stairs16.3%13.1–19.2%12.7%
Thinking or memory12.7%10.8–14.7%13.5%
Hearing10.5%9–11.9%7.4%
Vision4.6%3.9–5.5%4.3%
Dressing or bathing3.8%3.1–4.4%3.4%
Errands alone8%6.6–9.4%7.4%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Armstrong door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Iowa figure falls inside it, we don't call Armstrong better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Armstrong directly, so these are its own figures.

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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01