Dallas County outpaces U.S. in key health measures
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Dallas County is one of the healthiest counties in the state and ranks better than the average county in the U.S., according to an annual County Health Rankings report.
Why it matters: Health factors aren't just what's happening inside the doctor's office — social, economic and physical environment are also determinants, and in many of these, Dallas County is performing better than the rest of the country.
Driving the news: The 2025 report, published annually by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, looks at 30 different measures including birth weights, insurance rates, vaccination rates, mental health and levels of obesity.
State of play: Compared with the rest of the state, Dallas County residents are above average for high school completion and college education attainment.
- They also have lower child poverty rates and fewer preventable hospital stays and severe housing problems.
Between the lines: Dallas County residents' physical health also fares better than the rest of the state's and country's averages, according to the report.
- Much of the population is younger and less likely to face chronic illnesses, Abigail Coder, Dallas County's community health administrator, tells Axios.
- The county is the fastest-growing in the state, with a median age of 36, compared with 39 years old statewide, according to census data.
- Median household income is also higher — around $102,200, compared with $71,700 statewide, according to the report.
- Two-thirds of the county's population live within West Des Moines, Waukee, Urbandale and Clive, where wealthier and younger populations are more likely to live.
Yes, but: Rural Dallas County residents are dealing with health challenges that are often overlooked.
Zoom in: 14% of Dallas County residents who identify as non-white or Hispanic don't have health insurance, compared with less than 10% of the county's white, non-Hispanic population, according to the county's 2023-25 health improvement plan.
- Rural residents were more likely to report fair or poor mental health status.
- Perry adults were also more likely to sleep less than seven hours a day.
- 69% of Dallas County adults were overweight or obese, and rural residents are more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
The intrigue: The county health department is trying to address the inequalities by providing transportation services for rural residents to health care appointments and getting more specialists in Perry.
Zoom out: Neighboring Polk County is also performing better than average compared with other U.S. counties.
- Residents have more access to infrastructure like exercise opportunities and health care providers compared with Dallas, but Polk struggles more with severe housing problems, child poverty and education attainment.
The bottom line: "We love that folks are doing really well here," Abigail Coder, Dallas County's community health administrator, tells Axios.
- "But sometimes, it hides the fact that there are definitely folks in Dallas County that are not as blessed in some of those areas."