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–Not graded
Health in Foster Township · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Foster Township residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Foster Township, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56211, 56225. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Foster Township

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Foster Township

1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Foster Township runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

More Foster Township adults get no exercise

1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (27.1%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓

More high blood pressure in Foster Township, and more people treating it

36.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 81.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓

Foster Township is short on dental care and mental health care

Foster Township’s county is a federal shortage area for dental 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 Foster Township’s likely range; Foster Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 56211, 56225, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Foster Township adults…

Foster Township runs above MN on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Foster Township adults have COPD
Minnesota: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 6.8–8.9%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota

Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.

Get no exercise 27.1%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.2%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 16.3%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 15.9%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Foster Township, betterFoster Township, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Foster Township gets moving

6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Foster Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.

77%Yearly checkupMN 75%
67%Dentist visitMN 68%
87%Cholesterol checkMN 85%
72%Colon screeningMN 69%
78%MammogramMN 79%
81%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Foster Township 7.3% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Getting care

Care in and near Foster Township

No hospital or community health center in Foster Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest EREssentia Health Holy Trinity HospitalGraceville · 13.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careRural Health CareBrookings · 80 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
13.2 mi
Essentia Health Holy Trinity Hospital
Graceville · not rated
ERRural critical access
16.1 mi
Ortonville Area Health Services
Ortonville · not rated
ERRural critical access
18.5 mi
Milbank Area Hospital/Avera Health
Milbank · not rated
ERRural critical access
22.8 mi
Coteau Des Prairies Health Care System
Sisseton · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
80 mi
Rural Health Care
2 sites · nearest in Brookings
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
81.4 mi
Community Health Service Inc. - Willmar
Willmar · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careFoster Township is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Foster Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Foster Township itself

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 Foster 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).

Mind & connection

How Foster Township adults are doing

About the same as Minnesota on each measure.

3 in 10Foster Township adults feel lonely
28% · MN 31.2% · About the same as MN
1 in 5Foster Township adults lack social or emotional support
19.9% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Foster Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.1% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 7Foster Township adults are in frequent mental distress
14.9% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Foster Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 9
Foster Township adults worry about having enough food
11.2% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 12
Foster Township adults worry about keeping their housing
8.5% · MN 9.3%
About the same as MN
1 in 18
Foster Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.6% · MN 5.7%
About the same as MN
1 in 15
Foster Township adults lack reliable transportation
6.8% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

8.6% of Foster Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Foster Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Lake Township: 38.3%Geneseo Township: 38.1%Browns Valley Township: 38.9%Prior Township: 38%Becker Township: 41%Lee Township: 38.6%Garfield Township: 38.3%Lockwood Township: 38.5%Melrose Township: 37.2%Toqua Township: 37.8%Browns Valley: 39.5%Folsom Township: 41.2%Arthur Township: 39.2%Parnell Township: 38.1%Almond Township: 38.1%Big Stone Township: 37.6%Foster Township: 38.4%Foster TownshipLake TownshipGeneseo TownshipBrowns Valley TownshipPrior TownshipEssentia Health Holy Trinity Hospital · Graceville · 13.2 miHOrtonville Area Health Services · Ortonville · 16.1 miH
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#10 of 17 towns on this map, healthiest first
Prior Township38%
Geneseo Township38.1%
Lake Township38.3%
Foster Township38.4%
Browns Valley Township38.9%
MN33.5%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Prior Township————
Browns Valley Township————

Prior Township and Browns Valley Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

31.3%

of Foster Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.3%
Thinking or memory13.2%
Hearing9.4%
Errands alone8.1%
Vision4.8%
Dressing or bathing4%
Minnesota

Questions about health in Foster Township

Why doesn’t Foster Township have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Foster Township.

What hospital is closest to Foster Township?

Essentia Health Holy Trinity Hospital in Graceville, 13.2 miles in a straight line from Foster Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Foster Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.