Den Svenska Evangeliska Lutherska Christdala Forsamlingen · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Forest Township is healthier than 26%
On every measure CDC estimates, Forest Township looks like Minnesota as a whole.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 55046, 55021, 55057, 55019. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forest Township
Against towns with similar incomes, Forest Township’s lead shrinks
Forest Township is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but 26% of the 4,951 towns with similar household incomes ($94K–$157K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Forest Township is short on primary care and mental health care
Forest 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 ↓
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 Forest Township’s likely range; Forest Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 55046, 55021, 55057, 55019, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Forest Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest Township is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 82% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Forest Township’s median household income is $125,938; among the 4,951 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($94K–$157K), it’s healthier than 26%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Forest Township
No hospital or community health center in Forest Township 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 Forest 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).
Out of every 100 Forest Township adults…
On every condition, Forest Township is about the same as Minnesota. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Forest Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Forest Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Forest Township 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.
9.2% of Forest Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Forest Township and the towns around it
Forest Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Township | B+ | 38.1% | 9.9% | 14.8% | ZIP codes |
| Erin Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Bridgewater Township | A | 35% | 8.9% | 11.7% | ZIP codes |
| Webster Township | A− | 34.8% | 9.4% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
| Wells Township | C | 41.4% | 12.5% | 18% | ZIP 55021 |
Erin Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forest Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Forest Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forest Township is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Forest Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forest Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.9–18.1 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.5–13.3 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.1–18 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%32.2–44.1 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%27.9–34.7 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.3%27.9–34.8 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22%19.5–24.6 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.2–8.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.9%8.9–13.2 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%12.7–17.1 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%21.5–29.1 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15.5–21.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%27.4–37.7 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%7.2–10 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.5%71–77.9 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.1%62.9–69.3 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%82–85.8 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%71.4–77.2 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.9–72.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%71.9–84.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.6%20.4–27 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.2%24.9–33.6 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18.2–24.5 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.6%10.7–14.7 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.6–11.7 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.5–7.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.2%7.8–10.7 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%24–31.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.7–12.7 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12.1–15.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.6 | 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 Forest Township
Is Forest Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest Township is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ 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 Forest Township?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 44.1%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forest Township?
Northfield Hospital in Northfield, 8.5 miles in a straight line from Forest Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Forest Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10%), 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 Forest Township 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 Forest Township.
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.