Emerson, IA is a small rural town in Harrison County with a population of approximately 600 people. Despite its size, the town has access to quality healthcare through several local hospitals and medical facilities. The Emerson Family Care Center provides primary care services for residents and visitors alike. Just outside of town, MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center offers inpatient and outpatient care in a variety of specialties including orthopedic and cardiac services. In addition, the Harrison County Home Health Agency offers home health visits for those who are unable to travel to a hospital or doctor's office. These facilities offer comprehensive care and serve to keep the community of Emerson healthy.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 101 physicians per 100,000 population in Emerson. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Emerson area is 127.8 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
127.8 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Emerson area is 80 (100=best). The US average is 55.
80 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Emerson area is 17 (100=best). The US average is 87.
17 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Emerson commutes 21.6 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Emerson area is 82 (100=best). The US average is 58.
82 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.