Within Minnesota, Baxter is healthier than 46% of graded towns
Baxter differs from Minnesota on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Baxter. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Baxter
Minnesota sets a high bar
Baxter is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but only 46% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease, cancer and arthritis run high in Baxter
1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.2%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.2%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. Arthritis is also above the state: 26.5%, vs 22.3% across Minnesota. In all, Baxter runs above Minnesota on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Baxter is short on dental care and mental health care
Baxter’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Baxter is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Baxter is healthier than 73%. Against the 10,569 towns with similar household incomes ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 90%. 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 Baxter’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Baxter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baxter is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #145 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 47%).
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). Baxter’s median household income is $70,688; among the 10,569 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Baxter adults…
Baxter runs above MN on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Baxter
No hospital or community health center in Baxter itself. These are the nearest.
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 Baxter; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Baxter adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Baxter adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Baxter does better than Minnesota.
1 in 4 Baxter 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.
7.5% of Baxter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Baxter and the towns around it
Baxter has the best Health Grade of the 5 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter | B+ | 36.6% | 10.8% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| Crow Wing Township | B | 38.1% | 11% | 16.2% | ZIP 56401 |
| Brainerd | B− | 38.9% | 10.7% | 17.7% | CDC place |
| Fort Ripley Township | B+ | 37.7% | 10.8% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
| Sylvan Township | B+ | 36.2% | 11% | 15.5% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Baxter adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Baxter
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Baxter is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Baxter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Baxter | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.8%13.6–18.3 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.9–16.5 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.6%31.1–42.2 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.4–12.3 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%30.7–37.5 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.6%29.2–36.1 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%23.8–29.3 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.3–11.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.3–11.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.3%5.5–7.3 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.6–14 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.8%11.5–16.3 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.5%20–27.4 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%15.4–21.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.8%24.3–33.4 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.3–8.2 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76%72.7–79.2 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.2%65.1–71.2 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%84.1–87.8 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.7–80.9 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.6%65.3–73.7 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.4%74.7–85.5 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.3%20.3–26.5 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.2%23.5–31.4 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.2%15.6–21.1 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.2–11.9 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.6–9.3 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.4–6.1 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.6–7.4 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.5%6.1–9.1 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%26.1–33.4 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.3–15 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%11–14.3 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.7–4.8 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.6–8.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3–3.8 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Baxter
Is Baxter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Baxter is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #145 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Baxter?
CDC estimates 36.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.1% and 42.2%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Baxter?
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Baxter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Baxter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–8.2%), 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 Baxter more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Baxter.
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.