On CDC estimates, Gnesen Township is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Gnesen Township beats Minnesota on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 55803. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gnesen Township
Gnesen Township is an older town
29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Conditions like heart disease and arthritis become more common with age, so keep that in mind when comparing Gnesen Township with the state. Conditions ↓
Fewer Gnesen Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Gnesen Township’s likely range; Gnesen Township’s figures come from ZIP code 55803, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Gnesen Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gnesen Township is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 86% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 69%.
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). Gnesen Township’s median household income is $112,700; among the 6,774 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$141K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Gnesen Township adults…
On every condition, Gnesen Township is about the same as Minnesota. Tap one to see it as people.
Gnesen Township is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Many conditions rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Gnesen Township as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.2% of Gnesen Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Care in and near Gnesen Township
No hospital or community health center in Gnesen 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 Gnesen 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
27 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Gnesen Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Gnesen Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 3 Gnesen 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.
Gnesen Township and the towns around it
Gnesen Township has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gnesen Township · Fredenberg Township | A− | 33.4% | 10.2% | 12.7% | ZIP 55803 |
| Rice Lake | B+ | 35.4% | 10.6% | 15% | CDC place |
| North Star Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Normanna Township | — | — | — | — |
Gnesen Township and Fredenberg Township share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. North Star Township and Normanna 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 Gnesen Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gnesen Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gnesen Township is better than Minnesota on 5 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Gnesen Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gnesen Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%12.7–16.9 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%10–13.1 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.9–16.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.4%28.7–38.4 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.7–11.7 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.5%27.2–33.9 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.1%28.7–35.6 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.4%21.6–27.2 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.8–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.5–7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.2%7.5–11.1 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.8–14.8 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20%16.9–23.3 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.7%16.6–23.1 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.4%27.8–35.1 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.4–6.3 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.7%72.1–78.9 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70%67.2–72.6 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.2–88.6 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%75.2–81.4 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72%68.3–75.3 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.5%74.2–84 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.7–27.3 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%27.8–34.9 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%17.4–22.6 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.6%7.2–10 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.9%5.9–8 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.9–5.2 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.2%5.2–7.3 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.8%23.4–30.3 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.4%9.8–13.1 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.2–7.9 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7.2 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 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 Gnesen Township
Is Gnesen Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gnesen Township is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gnesen Township?
CDC estimates 33.4% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 55803, which Gnesen Township shares with Fredenberg Township) have obesity, likely between 28.7% and 38.4%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gnesen Township?
St. Lukes Hospital in Duluth, 15.7 miles in a straight line from Gnesen Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gnesen Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–6.3%), 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 Gnesen Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+. The figures are ZIP code 55803’s, shared with Fredenberg Township.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gnesen 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.