Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0Within Minnesota, Detroit Lakes is healthier than 23% of graded towns
Detroit Lakes differs from Minnesota on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Detroit Lakes. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Detroit Lakes
Minnesota sets a high bar
Detroit Lakes is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but only 23% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Detroit Lakes is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Detroit Lakes’ 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 ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Detroit Lakes
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.3%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.9%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.1%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Detroit Lakes runs above Minnesota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Detroit Lakes, and more people treating it
37.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Detroit Lakes is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Detroit Lakes is healthier than 57%. Against the 9,581 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 80%. 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 Detroit Lakes’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Detroit Lakes’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Detroit Lakes is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #209 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 69% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 46%).
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). Detroit Lakes’ median household income is $62,958; among the 9,581 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 80%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Detroit Lakes
1 hospital in Detroit Lakes, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Detroit Lakes; ≈ 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 Detroit Lakes adults…
Detroit Lakes runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Detroit Lakes is an older town: 25% 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 Detroit Lakes as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Detroit Lakes 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.
7.4 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
How Detroit Lakes adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Detroit Lakes 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.
10% of Detroit Lakes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Detroit Lakes and the towns around it
Detroit Lakes’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lakes | B | 36.7% | 11.5% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Detroit Township · Lake View Township | B | 36.6% | 11.4% | 14.8% | ZIP 56501 |
| Burlington Township | B | 37.2% | 11.2% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Detroit Lakes adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Detroit Lakes
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Detroit Lakes is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Detroit Lakes’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Detroit Lakes | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%16.3–21.7 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.8–15.2 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.2–17.8 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.7%31.4–42.4 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.1–13.2 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.5%34–41.1 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.3–38.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.9%25.1–30.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.6–11.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.3%6.4–8.5 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%10–14.9 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.1%12.9–17.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%21.8–29.7 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%16–21.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.8%24.3–33.7 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6.8–9.8 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%74.3–80.5 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.5%62.3–68.7 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.3–86.9 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80%77.5–82.3 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.7%68.7–76.3 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%72.4–84.3 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%21.1–27.6 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.6%23.7–31.8 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.8%16.9–23 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%10.9–15.6 | 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 | 6.3%5.4–7.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.8–9 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8.3–11.9 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7%27.9–35.7 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.9%12.8–17.2 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.2%12.5–16.1 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.1–10.3 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.7–10.1 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Detroit Lakes
Is Detroit Lakes a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Detroit Lakes is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #209 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Detroit Lakes?
CDC estimates 36.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 42.4%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Detroit Lakes?
Perham Health in Perham, 19.2 miles in a straight line from Detroit Lakes’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Detroit Lakes have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–9.8%), 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 Detroit Lakes 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 Detroit Lakes.
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.