Health · Marengo
Marengo, IA health
On most measures Marengo looks like Iowa as a whole. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (8.5% vs 6.9%) and more adults who have had a stroke (4% vs 3.3%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for MarengoTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C
Marengo’s Health Grade: C
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Marengo is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns, and than 56% of towns with similar incomes.
C+Self-rated healthB-Physical distressB-Mental distressDObesityB-DiabetesCSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 33%
Less healthyHealthier
Iowa towns we grade (281)Healthier than 16%
Towns with similar incomes, $43K–$72K (7,589)Healthier than 56%
Better than its income would suggest. Marengo is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Marengo could be anywhere from D to B+.
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 Marengo 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. Marengo 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 Marengo 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
44.4% have obesity
0 better8 close4 worse
Habits
28% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
78.7% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
33% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
12.7% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
32% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Marengo adults…
38 of every 100 Marengo adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.8–42%
Bars show Marengo; the black tick is Iowa. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Marengo, betterMarengo, worseToo close to callIowa
Get no exerciseshare of adults
28% Marengo
IA 24.8%
IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
30% Marengo
IA 32.5%
IA 32.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults
19.2% Marengo
IA 20.5%
IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
16.5% Marengo
IA 14.5%
IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Marengo 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 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Marengo 7.8% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection
How Marengo adults are doing
1 in 3Marengo adults feel lonely
33% · Iowa 32.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Marengo adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.2% · Iowa 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Marengo adults lack social or emotional support
24.1% · Iowa 23.3% · too close to call
1 in 6Marengo adults are in frequent mental distress
17.3% · 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 8
Marengo adults worry about having enough food
12.7% · IA 12% · about the same
1 in 11
Marengo adults worry about keeping their housing
9.4% · IA 9.4% · about the same
1 in 15
Marengo adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.6% · IA 6.4% · about the same
1 in 14
Marengo adults lack reliable transportation
7.1% · IA 6.8% · about the same
10.9% of Marengo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.
Disability
Living with a disability
32%
of Marengo adults live with a disability (Iowa 28.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs15.5%
Thinking or memory14.8%
Hearing8.9%
Errands alone8.6%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing4%
Black tick: Iowa. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Marengo
1 hospital in Marengo, plus the nearest just outside it.
HNearest ERCompass Memorial HealthcareMarengo · 0.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careEastern Iowa Health CenterCedar Rapids · 24.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
24.6 mi
Eastern Iowa Health Center
6 sites · nearest in Cedar Rapids
Eastern Iowa Rhys Jones Dental CenterCedar Rapids · 24.6 mi
Eastern Iowa Health Center Pharmacy & Walk-In CareCedar Rapids · 24.8 mi
Eastern Iowa Health CenterCedar Rapids · 24.8 mi
Eastern Iowa Health Center - DentalCedar Rapids · 24.9 mi
Eastern Iowa Health Center - PediatricsCedar Rapids · 24.9 mi
Eastern Iowa Womens Health CenterVinton · 26.2 mi
Nothing matches.
✓ Primary careMarengo is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careMarengo is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthMarengo 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 Marengo. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
All 40 measures for Marengo
| Measure | Marengo | Margin | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 37.7% | 33.8–42% | 33.9% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 37.9% | 33.8–42.4% | 35.3% | about the same |
| Obesity | 44.4% | 36.8–52.5% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7% | 26.5–33.2% | 27% | about the same |
| Depression | 21.2% | 18–24.6% | 20.7% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 11.1% | 8.9–13.8% | 11.6% | about the same |
| Asthma | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.9% | 8.9–11% | 8.7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 12.4% | 10.7–14.4% | 11.2% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.5% | 7.2–10% | 6.9% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7.7% | 6.7–8.8% | 6.6% | worse |
| Stroke | 4% | 3.5–4.5% | 3.3% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.5% | 13.6–19.5% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 19.2% | 16–22.8% | 20.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 28% | 23.3–33.2% | 24.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30% | 24.5–35.9% | 32.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.7% | 75.2–82% | 77.5% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 69.1% | 65.7–72.3% | 66.8% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 84.4% | 82.2–86.6% | 84.1% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 68.5% | 63.4–73.1% | 66.6% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 78.6% | 71.5–84.6% | 78.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 79.6% | 77–82.2% | 77.8% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 7.8% | 6.1–9.9% | 7.3% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33% | 28–38.4% | 32.3% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 24.1% | 20.3–28.3% | 23.3% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 17.3% | 15.2–19.5% | 16.4% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 20.3% | 17.1–23.6% | 17.8% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.4% | 12.4–16.4% | 12.7% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 12.7% | 10.2–15.7% | 12% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 9.4% | 7.7–11.3% | 9.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.6% | 5.5–7.7% | 6.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.1% | 6–8.3% | 6.8% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 10.9% | 8.7–13.5% | 10% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32% | 27.6–36.7% | 28.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 15.5% | 13.1–18.1% | 12.7% | |
| Thinking or memory | 14.8% | 12.7–17% | 13.5% | |
| Hearing | 8.9% | 7.8–10.1% | 7.4% | |
| Vision | 4.9% | 4.2–5.7% | 4.3% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4% | 3.4–4.7% | 3.4% | |
| Errands alone | 8.6% | 7.4–10% | 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 Marengo door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Iowa figure falls inside it, we don't call Marengo better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Marengo 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.