Minnesota and International Railroad Freight House and Shelter Shed · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Lake Edward Township is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Lake Edward Township differs from Minnesota on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56468, 56465, 56401, 56472. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake Edward Township
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Lake Edward Township
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.9%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Arthritis is also above the state: 28.6%, vs 22.3% across Minnesota. In all, Lake Edward Township runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Lake Edward Township, and more people treating it
36.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Lake Edward Township is short on dental care and mental health care
Lake Edward 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 ↓
Lake Edward Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Minnesota on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78% vs 74.8%) and dentist visits (70.5% 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 Lake Edward Township’s likely range; Lake Edward Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 56468, 56465, 56401, 56472, 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 Lake Edward Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Edward Township is healthier than 73% 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 93% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 51%.
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). Lake Edward Township’s median household income is $82,292; among the 10,599 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Lake Edward Township adults…
Lake Edward Township runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Lake Edward Township is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Lake Edward Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake Edward Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Care in and near Lake Edward Township
No hospital or community health center in Lake Edward 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 Lake Edward 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.
4.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Lake Edward Township adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Lake Edward Township does better than Minnesota.
1 in 4 Lake Edward 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.
6.4% of Lake Edward Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Lake Edward Township and the towns around it
Lake Edward Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Edward Township | B+ | 36% | 11.9% | 13.6% | ZIP codes |
| Pelican Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Nisswa | A− | 35% | 11.3% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Center Township | B+ | 37% | 12.2% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Merrifield | — | — | — | — |
Pelican Township and Merrifield: 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 Lake Edward Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake Edward Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake Edward Township is better than Minnesota on 13 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Lake Edward Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake Edward Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.8%13.9–18 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.9–13.6 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%12.1–14.9 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36%31.3–40.8 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.5–13.3 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.9%33.8–40.1 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%32.9–39.2 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.6%26–31.3 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%9–11 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.6–12.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.6–10.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.6%11.7–15.7 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.2%20–26.7 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.8–19.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29%25.2–33 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%5.1–7.3 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%75.3–80.6 | 74.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.5%67.8–72.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.5%87.1–89.7 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.7%78.3–82.9 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.9%69.5–76.1 | 68.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.1%75.1–84.5 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.9%19.5–24.7 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 25.7%22.5–29.1 | 31.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18%15.7–20.5 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.7%7.3–10.3 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.8%5.9–8 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%4–5.2 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.4%5.2–7.6 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.4%26.2–32.8 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.4%11.7–15.3 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%10.2–12.9 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.5 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.1–7.8 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3–3.8 | 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 Lake Edward Township
Is Lake Edward Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Edward Township is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lake Edward Township?
CDC estimates 36% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 40.8%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake Edward Township?
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd, 9.1 miles in a straight line from Lake Edward Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake Edward Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7.3%), 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 Lake Edward Township 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 Lake Edward 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.