Polk County Health Data
Polk County, Missouri
CDC County Health RankingsHealth Score
30/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
74.6 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.1%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
74.6 yr
State avg 74.3 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.1%
State avg 12.5%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
81
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
232
per 100K population
National avg 350
Poor / Fair Health
23.0%
State avg 20.4%
National avg 19.6%
Healthcare Access
Primary Care Physicians
59.2
per 100K residentsCDC: 81.1 per 100K
Nurse Practitioners & PAs
34.3
per 100K residents
Provider counts from CMS NPPES (National Provider Identifier Registry). Data current as of 2026.
Chronic Disease & Behavioral Health
These prevalence estimates come from the CDC PLACES program (Population-Level Analysis and Community Estimates), which combines BRFSS survey data with statistical modeling to produce county-level rates. Estimates are age-adjusted to enable fair comparisons across counties with different age distributions. Use them to spot where Polk County differs most from state and national norms.
Most prevalent chronic conditions
| Measure | Polk | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity | 39.5% | 39.0% | 37.6% | near state average |
| Diabetes | 11.2% | 11.0% | 11.2% | near state average |
| High Blood Pressure | 34.2% | 34.0% | 33.5% | near state average |
| Depression | 27.1% | 26.4% | 24.1% | 0.7 pts worse than state |
Health-risk behaviors
| Measure | Polk | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Cigarette Smoking | 20.0% | 19.4% | 16.3% | 0.6 pts worse than state |
| Binge Drinking | 17.6% | 17.5% | 17.8% | near state average |
| Physical Inactivity | 32.1% | 31.0% | 27.0% | 1.1 pts worse than state |
Preventive-care uptake
| Measure | Polk | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Routine Checkup | 76.3% | 75.8% | 74.9% | near state average |
| Dental Visit (past year) | 51.4% | 55.4% | 57.3% | 4.0 pts worse than state |
| Mammography (women 50–74) | 72.3% | 71.9% | 73.3% | near state average |
Daily-life impact
| Measure | Polk | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent Mental Distress | 20.1% | 19.8% | 18.6% | near state average |
| Short Sleep Duration | 40.3% | 39.4% | 37.3% | 0.9 pts worse than state |
These rates are part of the CDC PLACES survey. Compare Polk County nationally on dental visit (past year).
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 release · age-adjusted prevalence (%). Confidence intervals are available on individual rankings pages.
Data Story
Reported health status in Polk County differs from national rates
Health data brief for Polk County, Missouri.
In Polk County, 23.0% of adults report poor or fair health, a figure higher than the national rate of 17% and Missouri state norms. Life expectancy for residents is 74.6 years, slightly higher than the state average of 74.3 years but lower than the national average of 77 years. The uninsured rate stands at 13.1%, exceeding the state average of 12.5% and the national rate of 10%. Regarding healthcare access, the county has 81 primary care providers per 100,000 people, which is higher than the national median of 70. There are 232 mental health providers per 100,000, sitting below the national median of 250. These data points provide a statistical overview of local health rankings without suggesting specific causes. Explore the CDC County Health Rankings methodology.
Sources
- CDC County Health Rankings v2
- HHS NPPES
Get Care in Polk County, Missouri
Direct contact information for hospitals and community health resources serving this county. Hospital quality ratings come from CMS Care Compare — the federal program that measures hospital performance on safety, patient experience, and outcomes.
Hospitals near you
Compare all on Medicare.gov →Citizens Memorial Hospital
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Health data sourced from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Data is informational only. Not medical or health advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.