Photo: ElkRiverCommunications · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Elk River is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Elk River differs from Minnesota on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elk River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elk River
Binge drinking is the habit Elk River doesn’t win on
21.6% 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, Elk River’s lead shrinks
Elk River is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, but 59% of the 7,331 towns with similar household incomes ($82K–$136K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. 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 Elk River’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Elk River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elk River is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #118 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 91% 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). Elk River’s median household income is $108,741; among the 7,331 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$136K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Elk River is healthier than 56% of graded towns, against 76% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
19 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Elk River adults…
Elk River runs below MN on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Elk River
No hospital or community health center in Elk River 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 Elk River; ≈ 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 Elk River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Elk River adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Elk River 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.
6.7% of Elk River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Elk River and the towns around it
Elk River’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk River | A− | 38.4% | 9% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Otsego | A | 34.5% | 7.6% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Big Lake Township | A− | 38% | 8.4% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
| Ramsey | A− | 35.7% | 9.1% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Livonia Township | B+ | 39.2% | 9% | 14.8% | ZIP codes |
| Nowthen | A− | 36.2% | 10.3% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Dayton | A | 26.6% | 7.2% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elk River adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elk River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elk River is better than Minnesota on 2 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Elk River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elk River | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.4%12.4–16.5 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.8–17.4 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.4%32.8–44 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9%7.8–10.3 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 28.9%25.6–32.2 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.6%28.2–35.1 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.7%19.3–24.4 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–11 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.2–8.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.6%7.8–11.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.5%11.5–15.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.7%19.4–26.5 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 21.6%18.4–25.1 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29%24.8–33.9 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.6%68.8–76 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.6%64.5–70.7 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.3–87 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.2%71.1–77.3 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%63.1–71.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%72–84 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.7–26.9 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%25.8–34 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%18–23.9 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10%8.5–11.8 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.7%7.5–10.1 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.7%5.6–7.9 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.2%23.8–30.9 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%8.7–11.6 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%11.2–14.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.1–3.8 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.7–7.2 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Elk River
Is Elk River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elk River is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #118 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elk River?
CDC estimates 38.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 44%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elk River?
Centracare Health - Monticello in Monticello, 10.6 miles in a straight line from Elk River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Elk River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.2%), 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 Elk River 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 Elk River.
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.