Health · Cambridge

Cambridge, IA health

Cambridge differs from Iowa on 22 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (6.9% vs 12%) and fewer uninsured adults (4.5% vs 7.3%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults treating high blood pressure (73.7% vs 77.8%).

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

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 803 people are less certain, so we show Cambridge's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Cambridge 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 Cambridge adults…

29 of every 100 Cambridge adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · better · margin 25.5–32.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Cambridge, betterCambridge, worseToo close to callIowa
Get no exerciseshare of adults 17.3% Cambridge
IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 26.4% Cambridge
IA 32.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 24.1% Cambridge
IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.8% Cambridge
IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%
Yearly checkup
IA 78%
76%
Dentist visit
IA 67%
87%
Cholesterol check
IA 84%
71%
Colon screening
IA 67%
79%
Mammogram
IA 79%
74%
Taking BP meds
IA 78%
1 in 22
working-age adults has no health insurance
Cambridge 4.5% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection

How Cambridge adults are doing

1 in 3Cambridge adults feel lonely
30.5% · Iowa 32.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Cambridge adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.3% · Iowa 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Cambridge adults lack social or emotional support
19.3% · Iowa 23.3% · better
1 in 7Cambridge adults are in frequent mental distress
14.4% · 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 14
Cambridge adults worry about having enough food
6.9% · IA 12% · better
1 in 15
Cambridge adults worry about keeping their housing
6.5% · IA 9.4% · better
1 in 23
Cambridge adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.4% · IA 6.4% · better
1 in 22
Cambridge adults lack reliable transportation
4.6% · IA 6.8% · better

5% of Cambridge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Disability

Living with a disability

21.2%

of Cambridge adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs8.4%
Thinking or memory10.7%
Hearing5.3%
Errands alone5.2%
Vision2.8%
Dressing or bathing2.3%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Cambridge

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

HNearest ERStory County HospitalNevada · 8.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMary Greeley Medical Center★★★★★ · 9.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePrimary Health CareAmes · 10.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.8 mi
Story County Hospital
Nevada · not rated
ERRural critical access
9.8 mi
Mary Greeley Medical Center
Ames · ★★★★★
ER
10.7 mi
Primary Health Care
8 sites · nearest in Ames
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
20.1 mi
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ERVA
20.5 mi
Broadlawns Medical Center
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careCambridge's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Story County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careCambridge's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Story County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthCambridge's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Story County · need score 18 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 Cambridge. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Cambridge
MeasureCambridgeMarginIowa
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure28.9%25.5–32.2%33.9%better
High cholesterol34.7%31–38.4%35.3%about the same
Obesity32.3%26.9–37.7%37.7%about the same
Arthritis22.4%19.7–25.1%27%better
Depression20.3%17.5–23.4%20.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.9%7–10.9%11.6%better
Asthma9.7%8.6–10.9%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.2%7.3–9%8.7%about the same
Diabetes8.3%7–9.6%11.2%better
COPD4.4%3.6–5.3%6.9%better
Heart disease4.5%3.9–5.1%6.6%better
Stroke2.3%2–2.6%3.3%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.8%8.2–13.7%14.5%better
Binge drink24.1%20.5–27.5%20.5%about the same
Get no exercise17.3%14.1–21%24.8%better
Sleep under 7 hours26.4%21.8–31.1%32.5%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup77.5%74–80.5%77.5%about the same
Dentist visit76.1%73.3–78.6%66.8%better
Cholesterol check86.7%84.5–88.8%84.1%better
Colon screening71.2%66.7–75.2%66.6%better
Mammogram79%71.9–84.6%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds73.7%70.1–76.8%77.8%worse
No health insurance4.5%3.4–5.8%7.3%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.5%26.1–34.9%32.3%about the same
Lack emotional support19.3%16.1–22.6%23.3%better
Frequent mental distress14.4%12.4–16.5%16.4%about the same
Fair or poor health12.2%10.1–14.6%17.8%better
Frequent physical distress9.9%8.4–11.4%12.7%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity6.9%5.2–8.9%12%better
Housing insecurity6.5%5–8%9.4%better
Utility shut-off threat4.4%3.5–5.3%6.4%better
No reliable transportation4.6%3.7–5.5%6.8%better
Receive SNAP5%3.6–6.6%10%
Disability
Any disability21.2%18–24.9%28.1%
Walking or climbing stairs8.4%6.9–10.1%12.7%
Thinking or memory10.7%8.9–12.6%13.5%
Hearing5.3%4.6–6%7.4%
Vision2.8%2.3–3.2%4.3%
Dressing or bathing2.3%1.9–2.7%3.4%
Errands alone5.2%4.3–6.1%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 Cambridge door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Iowa figure falls inside it, we don't call Cambridge better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Cambridge 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