Photo: KAM32296 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Big Lake Township is healthier than 48%
Big Lake Township differs from Minnesota on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 55309, 55330. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Lake Township
Binge drinking is the habit Big Lake Township doesn’t win on
22.4% of adults binge drink, vs 17.8% across Minnesota. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Big Lake Township’s lead shrinks
Big Lake Township is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, but 48% of the 5,293 towns with similar household incomes ($92K–$154K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Stroke and heart disease are less common in Big Lake Township
Big Lake Township runs below Minnesota on four chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2.4% vs 3.1%), heart disease (4.7% vs 5.9%) and diabetes (8.4% vs 10.1%). Conditions ↓
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 Big Lake Township’s likely range; Big Lake Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 55309, 55330, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Big Lake Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake Township is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #109 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). Big Lake Township’s median household income is $123,077; among the 5,293 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$154K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Big Lake Township is healthier than 60% of graded towns, against 78% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Big Lake Township adults…
Big Lake Township runs below MN on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Big Lake Township
No hospital or community health center in Big Lake Township 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 Big Lake Township; ≈ 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 Big Lake Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Big Lake Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Big Lake Township 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.
6.4% of Big Lake Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Big Lake Township and the towns around it
Big Lake Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake Township | A− | 38% | 8.4% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
| Otsego | A | 34.5% | 7.6% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Monticello Township | B+ | 36.5% | 9.6% | 14.3% | ZIP codes |
| Monticello | B+ | 37.1% | 9.4% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Elk River | A− | 38.4% | 9% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Orrock Township | B+ | 38.8% | 8.4% | 14.3% | ZIP codes |
| Becker Township | — | — | — | — |
Becker Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Lake Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Lake Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Big Lake Township is better than Minnesota on 9 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Big Lake Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Big Lake Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%12.1–15.5 | 16% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.5%9.4–11.8 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.3–17.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%33.1–43.2 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 10.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.5%24.8–30.5 | 31% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.7%27.8–33.9 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.4%18.3–22.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.9–11 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.3%6.7–8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.2–5.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.5%4.1–5 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.7%6.3–9.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.6%18.7–24.8 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 22.4%19.5–25.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.1%25.3–33.5 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.8%68.4–75.1 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.2%66.5–71.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.8%83.1–86.5 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.6–75.5 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.5%62.7–70.3 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%73.7–84 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%21.5–27.4 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.8%26.3–33.8 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%18.1–23.5 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.7%8.3–11.2 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%7.5–9.8 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.5–6 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.2%5.6–7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.4%5.5–7.5 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.9%23–29 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%11.3–14.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%3–3.5 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.5–6.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Big Lake Township
Is Big Lake Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake Township is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #109 of 271 in Minnesota. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Big Lake Township?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.1% and 43.2%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Lake Township?
Centracare Health - Monticello in Monticello, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Big Lake Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Big Lake Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–7.8%), 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 Big Lake Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Big Lake Township.
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.