Photo: Lorie Shaull · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Helga Township is healthier than 43%
Helga Township trails Minnesota on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56601, 56461. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Helga Township
Helga Township is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Helga Township’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Helga Township’s lead shrinks
Helga Township is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, but 43% of the 8,792 towns with similar household incomes ($74K–$123K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
COPD and arthritis run high in Helga Township
1 in 15 adults have COPD (6.6%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (26.1%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Conditions ↓
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 Helga Township’s likely range; Helga Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 56601, 56461, 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 Helga Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Helga Township is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 75% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Helga Township’s median household income is $98,500; among the 8,792 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 43%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Helga Township
No hospital or community health center in Helga 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 Helga 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 Helga Township adults…
Helga Township runs above MN on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
Keeping up with care
Share of Helga Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Helga Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Helga 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.
9.9% of Helga Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Helga Township and the towns around it
Helga 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helga Township | B | 37% | 10.9% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
| Rockwood Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Farden Township | C | 39.1% | 13.6% | 19.4% | ZIP codes |
| Guthrie Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Bemidji Township | B | 37.4% | 10.3% | 16% | ZIP 56601 |
Rockwood Township and Guthrie 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 Helga Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Helga Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Helga Township is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Helga Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Helga Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.6%15.5–19.8 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%11.1–14 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.8–18.5 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%31.9–42.1 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.6%28.5–34.8 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.9%29.8–36.3 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.1%23.6–28.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.1–9.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6.1–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.6%5.8–7.3 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.5–13.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%13.6–17.8 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.4%21.1–27.9 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%15.2–20.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.7%26.1–35.6 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.4–8.8 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.4%71–77.5 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.5%60.3–66.6 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.6–85.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%74.1–79.2 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%66.3–74.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%71.6–83.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%22.6–28.9 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.9%26.1–33.9 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%18.1–23.8 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%11.3–15.1 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%8.4–11.2 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.6–7.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.3–9.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.9%8.5–11.5 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%27.1–34 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%11.3–14.6 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.5%12.9–16.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%7–8.7 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–4 | 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 Helga Township
Is Helga Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Helga Township is healthier than 61% 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 Helga Township?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 42.1%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Helga Township?
Sanford Bemidji Medical Center in Bemidji, 9.9 miles in a straight line from Helga Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Helga Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–8.8%), 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 Helga 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 Helga 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.