Photo: ShakataGaNai · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Ely is healthier than 93%
Ely differs from Minnesota on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ely. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ely
Minnesota sets a high bar
Ely is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, but only 18% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Ely
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.7%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.1%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Ely runs above Minnesota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
In Ely, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 7.2% of working-age adults are uninsured (Minnesota 7.5%), yet 19.6% say their health is fair or poor, vs 16% across the state. Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Ely, and more people treating it
35.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Ely is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ely is healthier than 51%. Against the 3,642 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 93%. 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 Ely’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Ely’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ely is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #223 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 66% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Ely’s median household income is $43,901; among the 3,642 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ely is healthier than 18% of graded towns, against 51% nationally.
Out of every 100 Ely adults…
Ely runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ely is an older town: 28% 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 Ely as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ely adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Care in and near Ely
1 hospital in Ely, 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 Ely; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
4.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Ely adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 3 Ely 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.
9.9% of Ely adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Ely and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ely | B− | 35.9% | 12.7% | 15.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ely adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ely
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ely is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Ely’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ely | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.6%16.3–23.6 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%11.9–16.6 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14–18.5 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.9%30.8–41.1 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%10.8–14.9 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%31.7–39 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.1%30.6–37.8 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%25.4–31.8 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.3–12.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.2–11.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.1–9.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.2–9.5 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.5–4.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.9%7.2–10.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.7%12.4–19.2 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.7%21.1–30.8 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.5–20.5 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%29.4–37 | 29.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.4–9.4 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.6%73–79.9 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.6%60.5–66.5 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%82.8–87.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.4%77.3–83 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.5%67.6–75.1 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.2%75–84.6 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%21.2–28 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33%29.2–37.1 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.5%18.3–24.8 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%9.7–15.6 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9%7.2–10.9 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5–7.2 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%6.8–9.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.9%7.5–12.6 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.7%29.1–38.8 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%13.2–19.2 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%11.8–16.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%7.9–10.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.3–6.1 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.2–10.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.4–4.9 | 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 Ely
Is Ely a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ely is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #223 of 271 in Minnesota. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ely?
CDC estimates 35.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.8% and 41.1%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ely?
Ely - Bloomenson Community Hospital in Ely, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Ely’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ely have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–9.4%), 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 Ely 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 Ely.
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.