Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Elbow Lake is healthier than 70%
Elbow Lake trails Minnesota on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elbow Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elbow Lake
COPD and heart disease run high in Elbow Lake
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.2%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.3%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. In all, Elbow Lake runs above Minnesota on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Elbow Lake
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.2%), vs 13.1% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
Elbow Lake is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Elbow Lake is healthier than 45%. Against the 8,857 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 70%. 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 Elbow Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Elbow Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elbow Lake is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 61% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Elbow Lake’s median household income is $59,792; among the 8,857 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 70%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Elbow Lake adults…
Elbow Lake runs above MN on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Elbow Lake
1 hospital in Elbow Lake, 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 Elbow 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Elbow Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Elbow Lake adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 3 Elbow 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.
10.9% of Elbow Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Elbow Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elbow Lake | C+ | 40.1% | 11.6% | 17.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elbow Lake adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elbow Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elbow Lake is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Elbow Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elbow Lake | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%15.9–22.4 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.6–15.6 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.9–19.5 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.1%32.5–48.3 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6%9.9–13.5 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%30.2–38.1 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%30.8–39.2 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%22.5–28.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.2%6–8.6 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6–9.5 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%14.2–20.8 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%21.7–31.6 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%14.8–21.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.4%25.4–38 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.3–10.5 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.5%70.5–78.2 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61%57.3–64.8 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%81.6–86.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%75–80.5 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.8%59.6–69.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76%68.4–82.7 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.3%22.6–30.4 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.9%25.9–36.5 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.1–25.7 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.6%10.6–17 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%8.5–12.7 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%5.8–8.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%6.9–9.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.9%8.3–13.7 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.2–36.6 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12–16.7 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%12.8–17.4 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.3–9.5 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.2–5.7 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.5–10.3 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.4–4.7 | 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 Elbow Lake
Is Elbow Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elbow Lake is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elbow Lake?
CDC estimates 40.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 48.3%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elbow Lake?
Prairie Ridge Hospital and Health Services in Elbow Lake, 0.1 miles in a straight line from Elbow Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Elbow Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–10.5%), 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 Elbow Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elbow 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.