Health · Waukee

Waukee, IA health

Waukee differs from Iowa on 21 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (6.7% vs 11.6%) and fewer adults with COPD (4.2% vs 6.9%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults treating high blood pressure (73.3% vs 77.8%).

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

Waukee’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Waukee is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns and 98% of Iowa towns.

A+Self-rated healthA+Physical distressA-Mental distressB+ObesityA+DiabetesA-SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 93%
Less healthyHealthier
Iowa towns we grade (281)Healthier than 98%
Towns with similar incomes, $76K–$126K (7,792)Healthier than 96%

About what its income would suggest. Waukee does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

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

27 of every 100 Waukee adults have high blood pressure
Iowa: 34 in 100 · better · margin 24.1–30.6%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Waukee, betterWaukee, worseToo close to callIowa
Get no exerciseshare of adults 18.4% Waukee
IA 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 26.9% Waukee
IA 32.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 22.5% Waukee
IA 20.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.4% Waukee
IA 14.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

75%
Yearly checkup
IA 78%
76%
Dentist visit
IA 67%
85%
Cholesterol check
IA 84%
69%
Colon screening
IA 67%
82%
Mammogram
IA 79%
73%
Taking BP meds
IA 78%
1 in 19
working-age adults has no health insurance
Waukee 5.2% · Iowa 1 in 14 (7.3%)
Mind & connection

How Waukee adults are doing

1 in 3Waukee adults feel lonely
28.8% · Iowa 32.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Waukee adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.8% · Iowa 20.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Waukee adults lack social or emotional support
21.1% · Iowa 23.3% · too close to call
1 in 7Waukee adults are in frequent mental distress
14.7% · 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 13
Waukee adults worry about having enough food
8% · IA 12% · better
1 in 13
Waukee adults worry about keeping their housing
7.6% · IA 9.4% · better
1 in 20
Waukee adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5% · IA 6.4% · better
1 in 19
Waukee adults lack reliable transportation
5.2% · IA 6.8% · better

6.1% of Waukee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10% across Iowa.

Disability

Living with a disability

21.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs8%
Thinking or memory11%
Hearing5%
Errands alone5.3%
Vision2.8%
Dressing or bathing2.2%

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

Around Waukee

Waukee 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 Waukee.

Clive: 33.4% West Des Moines: 33.6% Van Meter: 32.4% Windsor Heights: 35.5% Urbandale: 34.6% Des Moines: 39.4% Cumming: 40.7% Norwalk: 38.5% Waukee: 32.3% Waukee Clive West Des Moines Van Meter VA Central Iowa Healthcare System · Des Moines · 11.8 mi · 4★ MedicareH Broadlawns Medical Center · Des Moines · 12.6 mi · 3★ MedicareH Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi · Des Moines · 12.9 mi · 3★ MedicareH Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center · Des Moines · 13.3 mi · 1★ MedicareH Primary Health Care - West Side Clinic · Urbandale · 8.5 mi+ Proteus, Inc. - Des Moines Site · Des Moines · 12.9 mi+
32.3%40.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 9towns on this map, healthiest first
Waukee32.3%
Van Meter32.4%
Clive33.4%
West Des Moines33.6%
6 places to get careNearest ER 11.8 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 Waukee

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

HNearest ERVA Central Iowa Healthcare SystemDes Moines · 11.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyBroadlawns Medical Center★★★★★ · 12.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePrimary Health CareUrbandale · 8.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.5 mi
Primary Health Care
7 sites · nearest in Urbandale
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
11.8 mi
VA Central Iowa Healthcare System
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ERVA
12.6 mi
Broadlawns Medical Center
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
12.9 mi
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
12.9 mi
Proteus, Inc. - Des Moines Site
Des Moines · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
13.3 mi
Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center
Des Moines · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careWaukee is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careWaukee is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthWaukee 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 Waukee. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Waukee
MeasureWaukeeMarginIowa
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure27.3%24.1–30.6%33.9%better
High cholesterol31.3%27.7–35.1%35.3%better
Obesity32.3%26.7–38.2%37.7%about the same
Arthritis21.1%18.6–23.7%27%better
Depression19.8%16.8–22.9%20.7%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)6.7%5.4–8.3%11.6%better
Asthma9.4%8.3–10.6%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.1%6.4–7.8%8.7%better
Diabetes8%6.8–9.2%11.2%better
COPD4.2%3.6–4.8%6.9%better
Heart disease4.1%3.6–4.6%6.6%better
Stroke2.1%1.9–2.4%3.3%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.4%8.8–12.4%14.5%better
Binge drink22.5%19.1–26.2%20.5%about the same
Get no exercise18.4%15.5–21.6%24.8%better
Sleep under 7 hours26.9%22.3–31.9%32.5%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup75.1%71.5–78.6%77.5%about the same
Dentist visit76.3%73.4–78.9%66.8%better
Cholesterol check85.4%83.6–87.2%84.1%about the same
Colon screening68.6%64–72.9%66.6%about the same
Mammogram82%75.8–87.1%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds73.3%70.1–76.3%77.8%worse
No health insurance5.2%4.2–6.2%7.3%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely28.8%24.7–33.2%32.3%about the same
Lack emotional support21.1%18–24.4%23.3%about the same
Frequent mental distress14.7%13–16.6%16.4%about the same
Fair or poor health12.3%10.6–14.2%17.8%better
Frequent physical distress9.5%8.3–10.9%12.7%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8%6.6–9.7%12%better
Housing insecurity7.6%6.3–9%9.4%better
Utility shut-off threat5%4.2–5.8%6.4%better
No reliable transportation5.2%4.4–6%6.8%better
Receive SNAP6.1%4.9–7.5%10%
Disability
Any disability21.6%18.6–24.9%28.1%
Walking or climbing stairs8%6.8–9.3%12.7%
Thinking or memory11%9.6–12.6%13.5%
Hearing5%4.4–5.7%7.4%
Vision2.8%2.5–3.1%4.3%
Dressing or bathing2.2%1.9–2.4%3.4%
Errands alone5.3%4.6–6%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 Waukee door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Iowa figure falls inside it, we don't call Waukee better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Waukee 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.

We left the porch light on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Waukee, IAView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map
Loading boundary…

Waukee is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01