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Health in Carlston Township · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Carlston Township residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Carlston Township, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56009, 56097. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Carlston Township

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Carlston Township

1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.2%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 3.9%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Carlston Township runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

More Carlston Township adults get no exercise

1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (27.5%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓

Carlston Township is short on primary care and mental health care

Carlston Township’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓

More high blood pressure in Carlston Township, and more people treating it

35.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80% 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 Carlston Township’s likely range; Carlston Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 56009, 56097, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Carlston Township adults…

Carlston Township runs above MN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

7 of every 100 Carlston Township adults have COPD
Minnesota: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 6.3–8.2%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota

Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.

Get no exercise 27.5%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 31.4%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 18.1%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 16%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Carlston Township, betterCarlston Township, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Carlston Township gets moving

0.7 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near Carlston Township

No hospital or community health center in Carlston Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and AustinAlbert Lea · 12.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin★★★★★ · 12.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOpen Door Health CenterMankato · 36.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
12.1 mi
Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin
Albert Lea · ★★★★★
ER
25.2 mi
Mayo Clinic Health System - Waseca
Waseca · not rated
ERRural critical access
25.8 mi
United Hospital District
Blue Earth · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
30.1 mi
Owatonna Hospital
Owatonna · ★★★★★
ER
36.1 mi
Open Door Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Mankato
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
43.5 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
3 sites · nearest in Mason City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careCarlston Township is a federal shortage area.Faribault West/Freeborn · need score 11 of 25
✓ Dental careCarlston Township is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Carlston Township itself

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 Carlston 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Carlston Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.

76%Yearly checkupMN 75%
66%Dentist visitMN 68%
87%Cholesterol checkMN 85%
69%Colon screeningMN 69%
77%MammogramMN 79%
80%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Carlston Township 7.6% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How Carlston Township adults are doing

About the same as Minnesota on each measure.

3 in 10Carlston Township adults feel lonely
29.2% · MN 31.2% · About the same as MN
1 in 5Carlston Township adults lack social or emotional support
20.5% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Carlston Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.7% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 6Carlston Township adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Carlston Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 9
Carlston Township adults worry about having enough food
11.6% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 11
Carlston Township adults worry about keeping their housing
9% · MN 9.3%
About the same as MN
1 in 17
Carlston Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.9% · MN 5.7%
About the same as MN
1 in 14
Carlston Township adults lack reliable transportation
7% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

8.8% of Carlston Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Carlston Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Freeborn Township: 37.2%Manchester Township: 36.2%Alden Township: 36.3%Clark Township: 38.5%Alden: 36.1%Hartland Township: 35.4%Dunbar Township: 38.5%Byron Township: 38.2%Pickerel Lake Township: 36.3%Bancroft Township: 35.8%Bath Township: 36.1%Conger: 35.6%Mansfield Township: 36.4%Foster Township: 38.3%Walnut Lake Township: 38.4%Carlston Township: 36.9%Carlston TownshipFreeborn TownshipManchester TownshipAlden TownshipClark TownshipAldenMayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin · Albert Lea · 12.1 mi · 5★ MedicareH
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#10 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Alden36.1%
Manchester Township36.2%
Alden Township36.3%
Carlston Township36.9%
Freeborn Township37.2%
Clark Township38.5%
MN33.5%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Freeborn Township————
Manchester Township————
Alden Township————
Clark Township————
Alden————

Freeborn Township, Manchester Township, Alden Township, Clark Township and Alden: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

31.1%

of Carlston Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.5%
Thinking or memory13.5%
Hearing8.6%
Errands alone7.9%
Vision4.6%
Dressing or bathing3.9%
Minnesota

Questions about health in Carlston Township

Why doesn’t Carlston Township have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Carlston Township.

What hospital is closest to Carlston Township?

Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin in Albert Lea, 12.1 miles in a straight line from Carlston Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Carlston Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.