Cascade River Wayside · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Grand Marais is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Grand Marais differs from Minnesota on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Grand Marais. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Grand Marais
Cancer and heart disease run high in Grand Marais
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.4%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. In all, Grand Marais runs above Minnesota on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Grand Marais, and more people treating it
35.4% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 81.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Grand Marais keeps up with checkups
It beats Minnesota on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.8% vs 74.8%) and dentist visits (71.9% vs 67.5%). Checkups ↓
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 Grand Marais’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Grand Marais’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Grand Marais is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 57%.
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). Grand Marais’ median household income is $70,583; among the 10,550 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Grand Marais adults…
Grand Marais runs below MN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Grand Marais is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Grand Marais as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Grand Marais adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Care in and near Grand Marais
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Grand Marais, 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 Grand Marais; ≈ 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.
3.2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Grand Marais adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Grand Marais does better than Minnesota.
1 in 4 Grand Marais 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.
5.5% of Grand Marais adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Grand Marais and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Marais | A− | 33.5% | 11.6% | 11.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Grand Marais adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Grand Marais
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Grand Marais is better than Minnesota on 12 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Grand Marais’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Grand Marais | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%12.1–17.5 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%9.8–13.4 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.3–14.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.5%26.1–41 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6%9.8–13.4 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.1–39.6 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.1%32.7–41.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.6%24.2–31.1 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–10.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.7–13.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6%4.8–7.2 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.1–4.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.9%4.7–7.4 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3%9–13.8 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.2%17.8–26.6 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.5–19.5 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.3%22.4–34.6 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.4–7.2 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.3–82.1 | 74.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.9%68.5–75 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.6–90.8 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.6%78.7–84 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76%71.6–79.8 | 68.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%72.7–85.6 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.3–26.2 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.5%22.9–32 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.5%15.3–21.6 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8%6.2–10 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.5%5.1–7.8 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.4–5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.4–6.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.5%4.1–7.1 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%23–31.6 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.7%10.3–15.2 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9–12.4 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.4–9.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.4–7.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.6 | 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 Grand Marais
Is Grand Marais a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Grand Marais is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Grand Marais?
CDC estimates 33.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.1% and 41%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Grand Marais?
North Shore Health in Grand Marais, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Grand Marais’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Grand Marais have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–7.2%), 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 Grand Marais 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 Grand Marais.
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.