Health · Grimes

Grimes, IA health

Grimes differs from Iowa on 21 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with heart disease (4% vs 6.6%) and fewer adults who have had a stroke (2.1% vs 3.3%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (23.8% vs 20.5%).

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

Grimes’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Grimes is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns and 88% of Iowa towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressB-Mental distressBObesityA+DiabetesB+SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 83%
Less healthyHealthier
Iowa towns we grade (281)Healthier than 88%
Towns with similar incomes, $90K–$150K (5,450)Healthier than 62%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Grimes is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Grimes could be anywhere from B 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 Grimes 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. Grimes 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 Grimes 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 Grimes adults…

26 of every 100 Grimes adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · better · margin 23.9–28.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Grimes, betterGrimes, worseToo close to callIowa
Get no exerciseshare of adults 19.2% Grimes
IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.1% Grimes
IA 32.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 23.8% Grimes
IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.9% Grimes
IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

74%
Yearly checkup
IA 78%
70%
Dentist visit
IA 67%
84%
Cholesterol check
IA 84%
63%
Colon screening
IA 67%
79%
Mammogram
IA 79%
72%
Taking BP meds
IA 78%
1 in 18
working-age adults has no health insurance
Grimes 5.5% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection

How Grimes adults are doing

1 in 3Grimes adults feel lonely
33% · Iowa 32.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Grimes adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.7% · Iowa 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Grimes adults lack social or emotional support
22.2% · Iowa 23.3% · too close to call
1 in 6Grimes adults are in frequent mental distress
17.2% · 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 11
Grimes adults worry about having enough food
9.2% · IA 12% · better
1 in 12
Grimes adults worry about keeping their housing
8.5% · IA 9.4% · about the same
1 in 18
Grimes adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.6% · IA 6.4% · about the same
1 in 18
Grimes adults lack reliable transportation
5.6% · IA 6.8% · better

7.3% of Grimes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Disability

Living with a disability

21.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs7.9%
Thinking or memory12.1%
Hearing4.7%
Errands alone5.5%
Vision2.8%
Dressing or bathing2.2%

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

Around Grimes

Grimes and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Grimes.

Urbandale: 34.6% Johnston: 34% Des Moines: 39.4% Clive: 33.4% Grimes: 35.4% Grimes Urbandale Johnston VA Central Iowa Healthcare System · Des Moines · 8.2 mi · 4★ MedicareH Broadlawns Medical Center · Des Moines · 9.4 mi · 3★ MedicareH Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi · Des Moines · 10.6 mi · 3★ MedicareH Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center · Des Moines · 10.7 mi · 1★ MedicareH Primary Health Care - West Side Clinic · Urbandale · 6 mi+ Proteus, Inc. - Des Moines Site · Des Moines · 10.5 mi+
33.4%39.4%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#4 of 5towns on this map, healthiest first
Johnston34%
Urbandale34.6%
Grimes35.4%
6 places to get careNearest ER 8.2 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Grimes

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

HNearest ERVA Central Iowa Healthcare SystemDes Moines · 8.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyBroadlawns Medical Center★★★★★ · 9.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePrimary Health CareUrbandale · 6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6 mi
Primary Health Care
7 sites · nearest in Urbandale
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.2 mi
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ERVA
9.4 mi
Broadlawns Medical Center
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
10.5 mi
Proteus, Inc. - Des Moines Site
Des Moines · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
10.6 mi
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
10.7 mi
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careGrimes is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careGrimes is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthGrimes 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 Grimes. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Grimes
MeasureGrimesMarginIowa
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure26.2%23.9–28.9%33.9%better
High cholesterol31.1%28.5–33.9%35.3%better
Obesity35.4%31.8–39.3%37.7%about the same
Arthritis21.7%19.6–23.9%27%better
Depression22.7%20.1–25.4%20.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)7.9%6.4–9.5%11.6%better
Asthma9.7%8.6–10.9%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)6.5%5.8–7.1%8.7%better
Diabetes7.5%6.6–8.6%11.2%better
COPD4.4%3.7–5.1%6.9%better
Heart disease4%3.5–4.5%6.6%better
Stroke2.1%1.8–2.3%3.3%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.9%9.8–14.2%14.5%better
Binge drink23.8%21.2–26.7%20.5%worse
Get no exercise19.2%16.5–22.2%24.8%better
Sleep under 7 hours33.1%29.6–36.5%32.5%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup73.9%71.1–76.8%77.5%worse
Dentist visit70.1%67.4–72.6%66.8%better
Cholesterol check84.1%82–86%84.1%about the same
Colon screening62.8%58.9–66.5%66.6%worse
Mammogram79.2%73.7–83.9%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds71.6%68.5–74.6%77.8%worse
No health insurance5.5%4.5–6.7%7.3%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33%30–35.9%32.3%about the same
Lack emotional support22.2%19.6–24.7%23.3%about the same
Frequent mental distress17.2%15.2–19.3%16.4%about the same
Fair or poor health13.4%11.6–15.4%17.8%better
Frequent physical distress10.6%9.3–12.1%12.7%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity9.2%7.6–10.8%12%better
Housing insecurity8.5%7.1–9.9%9.4%about the same
Utility shut-off threat5.6%4.8–6.5%6.4%about the same
No reliable transportation5.6%4.8–6.4%6.8%better
Receive SNAP7.3%5.8–8.8%10%
Disability
Any disability21.8%19.2–24.7%28.1%
Walking or climbing stairs7.9%6.8–9.2%12.7%
Thinking or memory12.1%10.5–13.9%13.5%
Hearing4.7%4.2–5.4%7.4%
Vision2.8%2.5–3.2%4.3%
Dressing or bathing2.2%1.9–2.5%3.4%
Errands alone5.5%4.8–6.4%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 Grimes door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Iowa figure falls inside it, we don't call Grimes better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Grimes 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