Health · Hudson

Hudson, IA health

Hudson differs from Iowa on 14 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (5.9% vs 11.6%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (7.4% vs 12%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Hudson

A-Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

A⁻

Hudson’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Hudson is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns and 84% of Iowa towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressAMental distressCObesityA-DiabetesBSmokingAExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 78%

Less healthyHealthier

Iowa towns we grade (281)Healthier than 84%

Towns with similar incomes, $90K–$151K (5,450)Healthier than 52%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Hudson is healthier than 78% 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, Hudson 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 Hudson 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. Hudson 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 Hudson 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 Hudson adults…

33 of every 100 Hudson adults have high blood pressure

Iowa: 34 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.2–36.4%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Hudson, betterHudson, worseToo close to callIowa

Get no exerciseshare of adults 18.7% Hudson
IA 24.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.3% Hudson
IA 32.5%

Binge drinkshare of adults 22.1% Hudson
IA 20.5%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 13.1% Hudson
IA 14.5%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Hudson 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 21

working-age adults has no health insurance

Hudson 4.7% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)

Mind & connection

How Hudson adults are doing

1 in 4Hudson adults feel lonely

28.4% · Iowa 32.3% · better

1 in 5Hudson adults have been diagnosed with depression

20.6% · Iowa 20.7% · too close to call

1 in 5Hudson adults lack social or emotional support

20.3% · Iowa 23.3% · too close to call

1 in 7Hudson adults are in frequent mental distress

14.4% · Iowa 16.4% · better

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

Hudson adults worry about having enough food

7.4% · IA 12% · better

1 in 16

Hudson adults worry about keeping their housing

6.3% · IA 9.4% · better

1 in 21

Hudson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

4.7% · IA 6.4% · better

1 in 20

Hudson adults lack reliable transportation

5% · IA 6.8% · better

6.2% of Hudson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Disability

Living with a disability

24.2%

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

Walking or climbing stairs10.7%

Thinking or memory11.1%

Hearing6.7%

Errands alone5.9%

Vision3.2%

Dressing or bathing2.7%

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

Around Hudson

Hudson and the towns around it

Care nearby

Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo · 5.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Sartori Memorial HospitalCedar Falls · 6.8 mi · ER Directions Medicare profile

Allen HospitalWaterloo · 8.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Grundy County Memorial HospitalGrundy Center · 16.7 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Peoples Community Health ClinicWaterloo · 7.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Eastern Iowa Womens Health CenterVinton · 28.8 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careHudson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Black Hawk County · need score 12 of 25

! Dental careHudson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Black Hawk County · need score 15 of 25

! Mental healthHudson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Black Hawk County · need score 17 of 25

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 Hudson. 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 Hudson

Measure	Hudson	Margin	Iowa
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	33.3%	30.2–36.4%	33.9%	about the same
High cholesterol	38.4%	35.2–41.8%	35.3%	about the same
Obesity	38.9%	34.3–43.3%	37.7%	about the same
Arthritis	28%	25.2–30.8%	27%	about the same
Depression	20.6%	18–23.3%	20.7%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	5.9%	4.8–7.2%	11.6%	better
Asthma	9.9%	8.8–11.2%	9.9%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	9.4%	8.6–10.3%	8.7%	about the same
Diabetes	10.4%	9–11.9%	11.2%	about the same
COPD	5.8%	4.8–6.9%	6.9%	about the same
Heart disease	5.9%	5.2–6.8%	6.6%	about the same
Stroke	2.9%	2.5–3.3%	3.3%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	13.1%	10.6–16.1%	14.5%	about the same
Binge drink	22.1%	19.3–25.1%	20.5%	about the same
Get no exercise	18.7%	15.7–21.9%	24.8%	better
Sleep under 7 hours	31.3%	28.2–34.5%	32.5%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	80.2%	77.5–82.7%	77.5%	about the same
Dentist visit	75.7%	73.5–77.9%	66.8%	better
Cholesterol check	88.1%	86.3–89.7%	84.1%	better
Colon screening	75.5%	72.4–78.3%	66.6%	better
Mammogram	79.4%	74.4–83.8%	78.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	78%	75.1–80.7%	77.8%	about the same
No health insurance	4.7%	3.7–5.9%	7.3%	better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	28.4%	25.1–32%	32.3%	better
Lack emotional support	20.3%	17.7–23.4%	23.3%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	14.4%	12.5–16.3%	16.4%	better
Fair or poor health	14.5%	12.3–16.9%	17.8%	better
Frequent physical distress	11%	9.5–12.6%	12.7%	better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	7.4%	5.9–9.1%	12%	better
Housing insecurity	6.3%	5.1–7.7%	9.4%	better
Utility shut-off threat	4.7%	3.9–5.6%	6.4%	better
No reliable transportation	5%	4.2–5.8%	6.8%	better
Receive SNAP	6.2%	4.8–7.9%	10%
Disability
Any disability	24.2%	21–27.6%	28.1%
Walking or climbing stairs	10.7%	9–12.5%	12.7%
Thinking or memory	11.1%	9.4–12.9%	13.5%
Hearing	6.7%	5.9–7.5%	7.4%
Vision	3.2%	2.7–3.6%	4.3%
Dressing or bathing	2.7%	2.3–3.1%	3.4%
Errands alone	5.9%	5–6.9%	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 Hudson door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Iowa figure falls inside it, we don't call Hudson better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Hudson 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.