Palo Alto County
IowaFIPS 19147
Pop. 8,9961 HospitalSVI 0.14RUCC 9 (Rural)PC HPSADental HPSAMH HPSA
Health Snapshot
| Metric | Palo Alto County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Prevalence | 9.6% | 9.8% | ▼ |
| Adult Obesity | 41.6% | 39.6% | ▲ |
| Uninsured Rate | 5.1% | 5.7% | ▼ |
| PCPs per 10K | 4.5 | 5.4 | ▲ |
| Premature Death (YPLL) | 7,822.407 | — |
Source: County Health Rankings (2025)
Workforce Supply
4
Primary Care Physicians
45.4 per 100k
8
NPs & PAs
90.8 per 100k
2
Dentists
40
Hospital Beds
4.5 per 1,000
$11,401.34
Medicare Per Capita
1483.0%
Readmission Rate
Source: Area Health Resources File (AHRF) 2024-2025
CDC PLACES Health Indicators
| Indicator | Palo Alto County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.2% | — | |
| Obesity | 39.9% | — | |
| Depression | 19.9% | — | |
| Frequent Mental Distress | 15.6% | — | |
| COPD | 7.9% | — | |
| Current Smoking | 14.9% | — | |
| Heart Disease | 7.8% | — | |
| Stroke | 3.9% | — | |
| High Blood Pressure | 37.8% | — | |
| Poor General Health | 18.0% | — | |
| Disability | 29.3% | — | |
| No Leisure Physical Activity | 25.4% | — | |
| Binge Drinking | 19.6% | — | |
| Uninsured | 6.5% | — |
Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024. Values are age-adjusted prevalence (%).
Explore financial data, AHEAD readiness, and community benefit for Palo Alto's 1 hospital.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall0.14
Socioeconomic Status0.07
Household Composition & Disability0.37
Minority Status & Language0.25
Housing Type & Transportation0.32
Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022. Score 0-1; higher = more vulnerable.
Health Professional Shortage Areas
!
Primary Care
Designated Shortage Area
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Dental Health
Designated Shortage Area
!
Mental Health
Designated Shortage Area
Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce
Hospitals in Palo Alto County
| Hospital | City | Beds | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto County Hospital | Emmetsburg | 25 | CAHRural |
Related Pages
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Data from CMS Provider of Services, County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, AHRF 2024-2025, CDC PLACES 2023-2024, and UNC Sheps Center. Last updated: 2026-03-11.