Within Minnesota, Albert Lea is healthier than 5% of graded towns
Albert Lea differs from Minnesota on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Albert Lea. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Albert Lea
More Albert Lea adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.2%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Albert Lea
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Albert Lea runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Albert Lea
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (15.7%), vs 11.4% across Minnesota. Utility shut-off threats (7% vs 5.7%) and housing insecurity (11.4% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 11.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Albert Lea has a five-star hospital
Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Albert Lea’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Albert Lea’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Albert Lea is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, #256 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 69% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Albert Lea’s median household income is $64,603; among the 9,854 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.
Where Albert Lea compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.1% (U.S. 76.5%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
6.7 miles of trails across 26 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Albert Lea adults…
Albert Lea runs above MN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Albert Lea is an older town: 25% 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 Albert Lea as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.7% of Albert Lea adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Care in and near Albert Lea
1 hospital in Albert Lea, 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 Albert Lea; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Albert Lea adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Albert Lea adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Albert Lea 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.
Albert Lea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Lea | C+ | 36.4% | 13.4% | 16.7% | CDC place |
| Albert Lea Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Bancroft Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Pickerel Lake Township | — | — | — | — |
Albert Lea Township, Bancroft Township and Pickerel Lake 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 Albert Lea adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Albert Lea
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Albert Lea is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Albert Lea’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Albert Lea | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.2%19.6–24.8 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.2–17.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.4%29.8–43.4 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.4%11.7–15.2 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.4%32.6–40.3 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%31.6–39.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.9%24.9–31 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.1–11 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.6–15.7 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.4–18.9 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.2%27.8–36.7 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.2–20.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.2%27.7–39 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.5%10–13.2 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%71.9–79 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.6%55.1–62.1 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.4%82.6–86.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.1%77.5–82.5 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%60.6–69.7 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.9%66.5–80.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.5–26 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%26.3–35.4 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.5–26 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.7%13.6–18.1 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%9.9–13.1 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6.1–8 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.7%10.1–13.5 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.6%30.6–38.6 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.6%14.5–18.7 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.5–16.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.2–10.2 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–4.9 | 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 Albert Lea
Is Albert Lea a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Albert Lea is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #256 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 50%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Albert Lea?
CDC estimates 36.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.8% and 43.4%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Albert Lea?
Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin in Albert Lea, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Albert Lea’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Albert Lea have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10–13.2%), 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 Albert Lea more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Albert Lea.
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.