Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0Where Heron Lake residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Heron Lake, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Heron Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Heron Lake
Heron Lake is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Heron Lake’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 ↓
Heart disease, cancer and stroke run high in Heron Lake
1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.6%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 3.8%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Heron Lake runs above Minnesota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and heart disease, cancer and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Heron Lake, and more people treating it
35.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. 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 Heron Lake’s likely range.
Care in and near Heron Lake
No hospital or community health center in Heron Lake 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 Heron Lake; ≈ 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 Heron Lake adults…
Heron Lake runs above MN on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Heron Lake is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Heron Lake as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Heron Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Heron Lake adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Heron Lake 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.
6.9% of Heron Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Heron Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weimer Township | — | — | — | — |
Weimer 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 Heron Lake adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Heron Lake
Why doesn’t Heron Lake have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Heron Lake.
What hospital is closest to Heron Lake?
Windom Area Health in Windom, 10.9 miles in a straight line from Heron Lake’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 Heron Lake.
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.