Photo: Calebrw · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Bird Island residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Bird Island, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bird Island. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bird Island
Bird Island is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Bird Island’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Heart disease, cancer and COPD run high in Bird Island
1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.5%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. COPD is also above the state: 6.7%, vs 5.4% across Minnesota. In all, Bird Island runs above Minnesota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and heart disease, cancer and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Bird Island, and more people treating it
35.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Bird Island’s likely range.
Care in and near Bird Island
No hospital or community health center in Bird Island 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 Bird Island; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Bird Island adults…
Bird Island runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Bird Island is an older town: 26% 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 Bird Island as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bird Island adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Bird Island adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 3 Bird Island 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.
7.2% of Bird Island adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Bird Island and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bird Island adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Bird Island
Why doesn’t Bird Island have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Bird Island.
What hospital is closest to Bird Island?
Olivia Hospital & Clinic in Olivia, 4.5 miles in a straight line from Bird Island’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bird Island.
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. 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.