Iowa rankings · Health

Most active towns in Iowa

Ranked by the share of adults who get no exercise outside of work, as estimated by the CDC. 143 towns with 2,500+ residents.

Other IA lists

Cost of livingMost affordable Cheapest rent Lowest property tax Rent easiest to afford

SchoolsBest schools Highest graduation rate

IncomeHighest income

PeopleMost educated Youngest Oldest Most residents 65+Most kids

Getting aroundShortest commute

GrowthFastest growing Losing population

HousingVacation-home towns Most new homes Fastest-rising home prices Housing hasn't kept up

WorkMost remote workers

SafetySafest

OutdoorsMost conserved land Most trails Most walkable

HealthHealthiest Lowest obesity Fewest smokers Most active Fewest uninsured Lowest depression Closest to a top hospital

LibrariesMost-used libraries Most library borrowing Best libraries for kids

ClimateSnowiest Least snow Mildest winters Hottest summers Coolest summers Longest growing season Wettest

MapletonNot on this list

Mapleton has fewer than 2,500 residents, the floor for IA lists.

North Liberty15% · Likely range 12–17%

Tiffin15% · Likely range 12–18%

Solon17% · Likely range 13–20%

All 143 towns

Get no exercise, lowest first.

#TownGet no exerciseLikely rangePopulation

T1 North Liberty21,125 people 15% 12–17%21,125

T1 Tiffin5,737 people 15% 12–18%5,737

T3 Solon3,152 people 17% 13–20%3,152

T3 Bondurant8,560 people 17% 14–21%8,560

T3 Huxley4,544 people 17% 14–21%4,544

T6 Coralville23,234 people 18% 15–21%23,234

T6 Eldridge6,818 people 18% 15–22%6,818

T6 Polk City6,037 people 18% 15–21%6,037

T6 Ankeny72,615 people 18% 16–21%72,615

T6 Waukee29,236 people 18% 16–22%29,236

T6 Robins3,332 people 18% 15–22%3,332

T12 Mount Vernon4,513 people 19% 15–22%4,513

T12 Hudson2,699 people 19% 16–22%2,699

T12 Johnston24,384 people 19% 17–22%24,384

T12 Grimes16,366 people 19% 17–22%16,366

T12 Norwalk14,183 people 19% 16–23%14,183

T17 West Des Moines71,083 people 20% 18–22%71,083

T17 Clive19,012 people 20% 17–22%19,012

T17 Iowa City75,752 people 20% 17–23%75,752

T17 Asbury5,989 people 20% 16–24%5,989

T17 Cedar Falls40,888 people 20% 18–23%40,888

T17 Pella10,720 people 20% 16–24%10,720

T17 Marion41,896 people 20% 18–23%41,896

T17 Center Point2,562 people 20% 17–24%2,562

T25 Urbandale46,595 people 21% 19–23%46,595

T25 Bettendorf39,647 people 21% 18–24%39,647

T25 Adel6,430 people 21% 17–25%6,430

T25 Decorah7,535 people 21% 17–25%7,535

T25 Orange City6,426 people 21% 17–25%6,426

T25 Fairfax2,900 people 21% 18–24%2,900

T25 Sergeant Bluff5,171 people 21% 18–25%5,171

T25 Ames67,669 people 21% 18–25%67,669

T33 Windsor Heights5,143 people 22% 19–25%5,143

T33 Carlisle4,255 people 22% 18–27%4,255

T33 Story City3,398 people 22% 18–27%3,398

T36 Indianola16,044 people 23% 19–26%16,044

T36 Le Claire4,735 people 23% 19–27%4,735

T36 Saylorville3,366 people 23% 20–26%3,366

T36 Waverly10,494 people 23% 19–27%10,494

T36 Sioux Center8,454 people 23% 19–27%8,454

T36 Glenwood5,144 people 23% 19–28%5,144

T36 Mitchellville2,579 people 23% 19–27%2,579

T36 DeWitt5,546 people 23% 19–28%5,546

T36 Madrid2,808 people 23% 19–28%2,808

T36 Jesup2,561 people 23% 19–28%2,561

T36 Altoona21,495 people 23% 21–26%21,495

T36 Nevada6,983 people 23% 20–27%6,983

T48 Dubuque59,174 people 24% 20–27%59,174

T48 Winterset5,416 people 24% 19–28%5,416

T48 Williamsburg3,360 people 24% 19–28%3,360

T48 Forest City4,290 people 24% 20–28%4,290

T48 Milford3,311 people 24% 20–29%3,311

T48 Cedar Rapids137,264 people 24% 21–27%137,264

T48 Hiawatha7,206 people 24% 21–28%7,206

T48 Kalona2,692 people 24% 20–29%2,692

T48 West Branch2,594 people 24% 19–29%2,594

T48 Independence6,164 people 24% 20–29%6,164

T48 Dyersville4,423 people 24% 20–29%4,423

T59 Grinnell9,505 people 25% 20–29%9,505

T59 Le Mars10,640 people 25% 20–30%10,640

T59 Monticello4,071 people 25% 20–30%4,071

T59 Knoxville7,473 people 25% 21–29%7,473

T59 Albia3,663 people 25% 21–30%3,663

T59 Pleasant Hill11,136 people 25% 22–28%11,136

T59 Cresco3,908 people 25% 21–30%3,908

T59 Camanche4,550 people 25% 21–30%4,550

T67 Spirit Lake5,518 people 26% 21–30%5,518

T67 Clear Lake7,607 people 26% 21–30%7,607

T67 Rock Valley4,059 people 26% 21–31%4,059

T67 Grundy Center2,809 people 26% 21–31%2,809

T67 Vinton4,948 people 26% 21–32%4,948

T67 Osage3,561 people 26% 21–31%3,561

T67 Wilton2,920 people 26% 22–31%2,920

T67 Mount Pleasant8,951 people 26% 22–31%8,951

T67 Boone12,424 people 26% 22–32%12,424

T76 Humboldt4,771 people 27% 22–31%4,771

T76 Davenport100,913 people 27% 24–30%100,913

T76 Algona5,377 people 27% 22–32%5,377

T76 Webster City7,769 people 27% 22–32%7,769

T76 Iowa Falls5,038 people 27% 23–32%5,038

T76 Clarion2,770 people 27% 22–32%2,770

T76 Tipton3,106 people 27% 22–33%3,106

T76 Rock Rapids2,661 people 27% 22–33%2,661

T84 Waterloo67,008 people 28% 25–31%67,008

T84 Spencer11,400 people 28% 23–32%11,400

T84 Fairfield9,456 people 28% 25–31%9,456

T84 Sheldon5,474 people 28% 23–33%5,474

T84 Waukon3,792 people 28% 22–33%3,792

T84 Creston7,435 people 28% 23–33%7,435

T84 Carroll10,208 people 28% 23–33%10,208

T84 Anamosa5,629 people 28% 24–33%5,629

T84 Mason City27,050 people 28% 24–32%27,050

T84 Marengo2,725 people 28% 23–33%2,725

T84 Jefferson4,152 people 28% 23–33%4,152

T84 Newton15,700 people 28% 24–33%15,700

T84 Charles City7,232 people 28% 24–33%7,232

T84 Missouri Valley2,666 people 28% 23–34%2,666

T84 Harlan4,891 people 28% 24–33%4,891

T84 Garner3,049 people 28% 23–34%3,049

T84 Fort Dodge24,827 people 28% 24–33%24,827

T84 Emmetsburg3,648 people 28% 24–34%3,648

T102 New Hampton3,453 people 29% 23–34%3,453

T102 Fort Madison10,133 people 29% 24–33%10,133

T102 Council Bluffs62,586 people 29% 25–32%62,586

T102 Des Moines212,421 people 29% 26–32%212,421

T102 Belmond2,694 people 29% 24–34%2,694

T102 Evansdale4,518 people 29% 25–33%4,518

T102 Eldora2,617 people 29% 24–35%2,617

T102 Burlington23,728 people 29% 25–34%23,728

T102 Estherville5,839 people 29% 25–35%5,839

T102 Bloomfield2,742 people 29% 24–34%2,742

T112 Hawarden2,658 people 30% 24–35%2,658

T112 Clinton24,322 people 30% 25–34%24,322

T112 Oskaloosa11,504 people 30% 25–34%11,504

T112 Maquoketa6,075 people 30% 25–35%6,075

T112 Atlantic6,763 people 30% 25–35%6,763

T112 Sioux City86,101 people 30% 27–34%86,101

T112 Muscatine23,489 people 30% 26–35%23,489

T112 Clarinda5,353 people 30% 25–36%5,353

T120 West Burlington3,189 people 31% 26–35%3,189

T120 Washington7,290 people 31% 26–36%7,290

T120 Marshalltown27,626 people 31% 27–35%27,626

T120 Chariton4,242 people 31% 26–36%4,242

T120 Carter Lake3,767 people 31% 27–36%3,767

T120 Onawa2,839 people 31% 26–37%2,839

T120 Sibley2,803 people 31% 26–38%2,803

T127 Ottumwa25,430 people 32% 28–36%25,430

T127 Red Oak5,510 people 32% 27–37%5,510

T127 Shenandoah4,892 people 32% 27–37%4,892

T127 Postville2,979 people 32% 27–37%2,979

T127 Keokuk9,662 people 32% 28–37%9,662

T127 Oelwein5,834 people 32% 27–37%5,834

T127 West Liberty3,776 people 32% 28–37%3,776

T134 Manchester5,191 people 33% 27–38%5,191

T134 Centerville5,372 people 33% 28–38%5,372

T134 Perry7,985 people 33% 28–38%7,985

T134 Eagle Grove3,593 people 33% 28–39%3,593

T138 Storm Lake11,428 people 34% 29–38%11,428

T138 Hampton4,306 people 34% 29–39%4,306

T138 Cherokee5,154 people 34% 29–40%5,154

141 Osceola5,523 people 35% 29–41%5,523

T142 Tama3,051 people 37% 31–42%3,051

T142 Denison8,260 people 37% 32–42%8,260

How it works

How this ranking works

The IA list, with the map →

We rank every town by the share of adults who get no exercise outside of work, as estimated by the CDC. The lowest share ranks as the most active. The lowest share ranks #1. Across Iowa it’s 25%.

These are the CDC’s modeled estimates, not a count: national survey answers combined with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Each carries a likely range (shown in the table), so we rank on the whole percent and towns at the same figure share a rank (T = tied). Differences of a point or two are within the estimates’ margins.

Cities and villages use the CDC’s own estimate for that place. New England towns and townships, which the CDC doesn’t publish, use the ZIP codes that cover them, weighted by land area.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

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Most active towns in Iowa

All 143 towns

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