Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Aitkin is healthier than 85%
Aitkin differs from Minnesota on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Aitkin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Aitkin
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Aitkin
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.7%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 5%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Aitkin runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Aitkin adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.7%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Aitkin, and more people treating it
39.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 82.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Aitkin is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Aitkin is healthier than 44%. Against the 5,008 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 85%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Minnesota figure falls outside Aitkin’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Aitkin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Aitkin is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 80% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 22%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Aitkin’s median household income is $47,978; among the 5,008 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 85%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Aitkin compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Aitkin adults…
Aitkin runs above MN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Aitkin is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Aitkin as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Aitkin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Care in and near Aitkin
1 hospital in Aitkin, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Aitkin; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Aitkin adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Aitkin adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.6% of Aitkin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Aitkin and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin | C+ | 32.6% | 14.1% | 16% | CDC place |
| Aitkin Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Spencer Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Farm Island Township | B− | 33.3% | 15% | 15.9% | ZIP 56431 |
Aitkin Township and Spencer Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Aitkin adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Aitkin
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Aitkin is better than Minnesota on 2 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Aitkin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Aitkin | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%17.2–25 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.5–17.3 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.1–17.2 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.6%26.4–39.6 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%11.9–16.4 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.6%35.4–44 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.2%33.1–41.6 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.1%28.3–35.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.3%11–13.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.7%8.3–11.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.2–10.9 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.2–6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.6%16.1–23.1 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%12.8–19.3 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.7%24.2–35.6 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.2–18.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.7%25.1–36.8 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%6.1–10.3 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.5–81.9 | 74.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.7%60.1–67.3 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%84.6–88.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.5%79.8–84.8 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.6%59.6–69.6 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%66.6–81.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%21–28.2 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%23.8–33.5 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.4%17–24.4 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%10.4–16.8 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.4–11.2 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.2–7.5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.5–9.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.6%8.2–13.5 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.1%30.8–41.5 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.4%14.9–21.9 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.1–16.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%9.8–13.2 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%4.9–7.3 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.1–12 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%3.9–5.7 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Minnesota figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Aitkin
Is Aitkin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Aitkin is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Aitkin?
CDC estimates 32.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 39.6%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Aitkin?
Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Aitkin’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Aitkin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–10.3%), against 7.5% across Minnesota.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Aitkin more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Aitkin.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Minnesota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.