Decorah, IA health
Decorah differs from Iowa on 14 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (8.3% vs 12%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (6.6% vs 9.4%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for DecorahHow Decorah 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 Decorah adults…
Bars show Decorah; 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 Decorah adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Iowa.
How Decorah 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.
6.3% of Decorah adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Living with a disability
of Decorah adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Iowa. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Decorah 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 Decorah. 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 Decorah
| Measure | Decorah | Margin | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 30% | 26.2–33.6% | 33.9% | better |
| High cholesterol | 32.4% | 28.5–36.4% | 35.3% | about the same |
| Obesity | 32% | 25.2–39.4% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 24.3% | 21.3–27.3% | 27% | about the same |
| Depression | 20% | 16.7–23.6% | 20.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 9.3% | 7.4–11.5% | 11.6% | better |
| Asthma | 9.8% | 8.6–11.2% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.2% | 8.4–10.1% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 9.1% | 7.7–10.6% | 11.2% | better |
| COPD | 5.7% | 4.8–6.7% | 6.9% | better |
| Heart disease | 6.1% | 5.3–6.9% | 6.6% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3% | 2.6–3.4% | 3.3% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2% | 8.4–12.2% | 14.5% | better |
| Binge drink | 20.5% | 17.1–24.2% | 20.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 20.8% | 16.7–25.2% | 24.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.1% | 21.1–32.1% | 32.5% | better |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.1% | 74.4–81.6% | 77.5% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 73.3% | 70.2–76.3% | 66.8% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 83.2% | 80.5–85.7% | 84.1% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 70.8% | 66–75.4% | 66.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 76.2% | 68.7–83% | 78.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.5% | 75.9–80.7% | 77.8% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 5.3% | 4.2–6.8% | 7.3% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 31.9% | 27.1–37.2% | 32.3% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 20.8% | 17.5–24.5% | 23.3% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 15.9% | 13.7–18.3% | 16.4% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 13.9% | 11.6–16.5% | 17.8% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 10.8% | 9.2–12.5% | 12.7% | better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 8.3% | 6.5–10.3% | 12% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 6.6% | 5.4–8.1% | 9.4% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 4.5% | 3.7–5.3% | 6.4% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 5.6% | 4.6–6.7% | 6.8% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 6.3% | 4.9–7.9% | 10% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.3% | 21.2–29.7% | 28.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 10.8% | 9.1–12.7% | 12.7% | |
| Thinking or memory | 12.6% | 10.5–15% | 13.5% | |
| Hearing | 7.2% | 6.3–8.2% | 7.4% | |
| Vision | 3.5% | 3–4% | 4.3% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 2.6% | 2.3–3% | 3.4% | |
| Errands alone | 6.6% | 5.6–7.8% | 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.