Winneshiek County in Iowa is a rural area with limited access to health services. The county has just two local hospitals – Winneshiek Medical Center and Decorah Hospital. Both of these facilities strive to provide comprehensive medical care for the residents and visitors of the area. In addition, there are several medical clinics located in the county that offer basic health services such as family practice, physical therapy, and mental health services. The county also has numerous pharmacies, hospice centers, home health agencies, and other specialty providers to meet the needs of its residents. Overall, Winneshiek County provides ample resources to ensure that its citizens receive quality healthcare services when they need them.
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 150 physicians per 100,000 population in Winneshiek County. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Winneshiek County area is 128.7 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
128.7 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Winneshiek County area is 61 (100=best). The US average is 55.
61 / 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 Winneshiek County area is 97 (100=best). The US average is 87.
97 / 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 Winneshiek County commutes 17.9 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 Winneshiek County area is 87 (100=best). The US average is 58.
87 / 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.