John T. Chyphers House · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Lakeland is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Lakeland differs from Minnesota on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lakeland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lakeland
Fewer Lakeland adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Minnesota. 1 in 13 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer runs high in Lakeland
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.9%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Lakeland adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (27.4% vs 31.2%) and lack of emotional support (17.1% vs 21.5%) both run below Minnesota. Mind & connection ↓
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 Lakeland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Lakeland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lakeland is healthier than 84% 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 92% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 62%.
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). Lakeland’s median household income is $100,132; among the 8,574 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$125K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.2% of Lakeland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Out of every 100 Lakeland adults…
Lakeland runs below MN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Lakeland is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Lakeland as about how healthy they are.
How Lakeland adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Lakeland does better than Minnesota.
1 in 4 Lakeland 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.
Care in and near Lakeland
No hospital or community health center in Lakeland 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 Lakeland; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Lakeland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Lakeland and the towns around it
Lakeland’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | A− | 33.9% | 11.3% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Lakeland Shores | — | — | — | — | |
| Lake St. Croix Beach | A− | 34.7% | 11.2% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| West Lakeland Township | A | 32.6% | 10.8% | 10.4% | ZIP codes |
| Afton | A | 31.9% | 11.2% | 9.6% | CDC place |
Lakeland Shores: 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 Lakeland adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lakeland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lakeland is better than Minnesota on 11 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Lakeland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lakeland | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.2%11.8–17.2 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.3–12.9 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.8–15.6 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.9%29.6–38.6 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.7–13.2 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32%28.8–35.2 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%33.5–39.7 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 24.2%21.6–26.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.5–10.8 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%8.9–10.9 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.3–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.3–6.6 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.5%5.4–7.9 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%9.2–15 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.3%15.9–23.2 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%14–19 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25.7%22.6–29.1 | 29.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%3.8–6.8 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77%73.9–79.8 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.2%69.4–74.8 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%85.9–89.6 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.8–81.4 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.5%68–74.8 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%74.3–84.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%21.2–27.2 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.4%23.8–31 | 31.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.1%14.4–20.2 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.8%5.9–10.1 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.1–8.2 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.4–5.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.2–6.4 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.2%3.8–7 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25%21.5–29 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%8.7–12.8 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.2%9.4–13.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.8–3.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5–7.2 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.3–3.4 | 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 Lakeland
Is Lakeland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lakeland is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lakeland?
CDC estimates 33.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 38.6%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lakeland?
Hudson Hospital in Hudson, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Lakeland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lakeland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–6.8%), 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 Lakeland 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 Lakeland.
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.