Health · Avoca
Avoca, IA health
Avoca differs from Iowa on 5 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (5.9% vs 11.6%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (80.7% vs 77.8%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had a stroke (3.9% vs 3.3%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for AvocaTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C+
Avoca’s Health Grade: C+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Avoca is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns.
B-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressB-Mental distressC+ObesityB-DiabetesCSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 44%
Less healthyHealthier
Iowa towns we grade (281)Healthier than 32%
Towns with similar incomes, $55K–$91K (9,792)Healthier than 49%
About what its income would suggest. Avoca does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Avoca could be anywhere from D to A−.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Iowa ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Avoca with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Avoca uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Avoca 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
38% have obesity
1 better9 close2 worse
Habits
27.8% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
78.2% had a checkup
1 better5 close1 worse
Mind & connection
34.7% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
13.2% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
32.8% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Avoca adults…
37 of every 100 Avoca adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.3–40.4%
Bars show Avoca; the black tick is Iowa. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Avoca, betterAvoca, worseToo close to callIowa
Get no exerciseshare of adults
27.8% Avoca
IA 24.8%
IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
34.8% Avoca
IA 32.5%
IA 32.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults
19.6% Avoca
IA 20.5%
IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
16.7% Avoca
IA 14.5%
IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Avoca adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
Yearly checkup
IA 78%Dentist visit
IA 67%Cholesterol check
IA 84%Colon screening
IA 67%Mammogram
IA 79%Taking BP meds
IA 78%1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Avoca 7.3% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection
How Avoca adults are doing
1 in 3Avoca adults feel lonely
34.7% · Iowa 32.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Avoca adults have been diagnosed with depression
22% · Iowa 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Avoca adults lack social or emotional support
24.5% · Iowa 23.3% · too close to call
1 in 6Avoca adults are in frequent mental distress
16.9% · 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 8
Avoca adults worry about having enough food
13.2% · IA 12% · about the same
1 in 11
Avoca adults worry about keeping their housing
9.2% · IA 9.4% · about the same
1 in 16
Avoca adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.3% · IA 6.4% · about the same
1 in 14
Avoca adults lack reliable transportation
7.1% · IA 6.8% · about the same
10.9% of Avoca adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Disability
Living with a disability
32.8%
of Avoca adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs15.6%
Thinking or memory14.5%
Hearing8.9%
Errands alone8.6%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.9%
Black tick: Iowa. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Avoca
No hospital or community health center in Avoca itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERMyrtue Medical CenterHarlan · 11.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careAll Care Health CenterCouncil Bluffs · 30.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
30.9 mi
All Care Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Council Bluffs
New Visions Homeless ServicesCouncil Bluffs · 30.9 mi
All Care Health CenterCouncil Bluffs · 31.1 mi
Florence M. Lakin Health CenterCouncil Bluffs · 31.1 mi
33.7 mi
Charles Drew Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Omaha
Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. at Florence TowerOmaha · 33.7 mi
Charles Drew Health Center, Inc.At Evans TowerOmaha · 34.3 mi
Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. at 30 MetroOmaha · 34.3 mi
Charles Drew Health Center, Inc. at Campus for HopeOmaha · 34.4 mi
Nothing matches.
✓ Primary careAvoca is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careAvoca is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthAvoca is not a shortage area
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 Avoca. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
All 40 measures for Avoca
| Measure | Avoca | Margin | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 36.8% | 33.3–40.4% | 33.9% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 38% | 34.2–41.5% | 35.3% | about the same |
| Obesity | 38% | 32.6–43.2% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 29.3% | 26.2–32.4% | 27% | about the same |
| Depression | 22% | 18.9–25.2% | 20.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 5.9% | 4.7–7.3% | 11.6% | better |
| Asthma | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 10.1% | 9–11.1% | 8.7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 12% | 10.3–13.9% | 11.2% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.4% | 6.9–10.1% | 6.9% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 7.7% | 6.6–8.9% | 6.6% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5% | 3.3% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7% | 13.5–20% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 19.6% | 16.7–22.6% | 20.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 27.8% | 23.1–32.6% | 24.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.8% | 30–40% | 32.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.2% | 74.8–81.1% | 77.5% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 62.6% | 59.2–66.1% | 66.8% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 84.5% | 81.9–86.7% | 84.1% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 67.1% | 62.5–71.5% | 66.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 77.6% | 71–83.3% | 78.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 80.7% | 78–83% | 77.8% | better |
| No health insurance | 7.3% | 5.4–9.5% | 7.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 34.7% | 30.2–39.3% | 32.3% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 24.5% | 20.8–28.4% | 23.3% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 16.9% | 14.7–19.1% | 16.4% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 19.3% | 16.1–22.8% | 17.8% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14% | 11.9–16.1% | 12.7% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 13.2% | 10.3–16.2% | 12% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 9.2% | 7.4–11.1% | 9.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.3% | 5.2–7.5% | 6.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.1% | 5.8–8.3% | 6.8% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 10.9% | 8.4–13.6% | 10% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8% | 28.3–37.4% | 28.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 15.6% | 13–18.4% | 12.7% | |
| Thinking or memory | 14.5% | 12.1–16.9% | 13.5% | |
| Hearing | 8.9% | 7.7–10.1% | 7.4% | |
| Vision | 4.9% | 4.1–5.7% | 4.3% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.9% | 3.3–4.7% | 3.4% | |
| Errands alone | 8.6% | 7.2–10.1% | 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 Avoca door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Iowa figure falls inside it, we don't call Avoca better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Avoca 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.