Photo: KAM32296 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Big Lake is healthier than 44%
Big Lake differs from Minnesota on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Lake
Binge drinking is the habit Big Lake doesn’t win on
23.9% 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’s lead shrinks
Big Lake is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, but 44% of the 5,670 towns with similar household incomes ($90K–$151K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Big Lake is behind on routine checkups
It trails Minnesota on three of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (69.6% vs 74.8%), cholesterol checks (82.8% vs 85.3%) and colon screening (63.3% vs 68.7%). Checkups ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Big Lake
Big Lake runs below Minnesota on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4% vs 5.9%), stroke (2.2% vs 3.1%) and cancer (6.2% vs 8.5%). A young population is part of it: only 6% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%). 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’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Big Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, #130 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 32%).
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’s median household income is $120,549; among the 5,670 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($90K–$151K), it’s healthier than 44%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Big Lake is healthier than 52% of graded towns, against 75% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
1.6 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Out of every 100 Big Lake adults…
Big Lake runs below MN on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of Big Lake residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Big Lake
No hospital or community health center in Big Lake 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; ≈ 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 Big Lake adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 3 Big Lake 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.
7.1% of Big Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Big Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake | A− | 38.5% | 7.5% | 14% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Lake adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Lake
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 is better than Minnesota on 10 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Big Lake’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 | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.5%11.7–15.5 | 16% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%9–11.5 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15–19 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%32.9–44.1 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.5%6.5–8.7 | 10.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25%22–28 | 31% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.2%25.1–31.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18%15.9–20.3 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.6–6.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4%3.6–4.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%2–2.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.3–8.2 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14%11.9–16.2 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22%18.7–25.7 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 23.9%20.4–27.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.5%25.2–34.6 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.1–8.9 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.6%65.7–73.3 | 74.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.5%64.4–70.7 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.8%80.6–84.9 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.3%66–72.5 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.3%58.9–67.8 | 68.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%75.1–86.2 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.8–28.4 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%27–35.7 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.6–24.8 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.7%8.9–12.7 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%8–11.2 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%5.8–8.6 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.7%22.4–29.4 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.4%7.2–9.6 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.9–15.3 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.2–2.7 | 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
Is Big Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Lake is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #130 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?
CDC estimates 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 44.1%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Lake?
Centracare Health - Monticello in Monticello, 3.4 miles in a straight line from Big Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Big Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.9%), 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 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.
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.