Church of St. Boniface · Photo: Gobonobo · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Minnesota, Melrose is healthier than 23% of graded towns
Melrose trails Minnesota on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Melrose. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Melrose
Melrose is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Melrose is healthier than 57%. Against the 8,825 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 83%. Health Grade ↓
Minnesota sets a high bar
Melrose is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but only 23% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
1 in 8 working-age adults in Melrose has no health insurance
12.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 7.5% across Minnesota. Checkups ↓
More Melrose adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (27.4%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
Melrose has a five-star hospital
Centracare Health System - Melrose Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare. Getting care ↓
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 Melrose’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Melrose’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Melrose is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #208 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Melrose’s median household income is $59,677; among the 8,825 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Melrose 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.
1 mile of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Melrose
1 hospital in Melrose, 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 Melrose; ≈ 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 Melrose adults…
Melrose runs above MN on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Melrose adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Melrose 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.
9.8% of Melrose adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Melrose 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melrose | B | 37.1% | 11.6% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Melrose Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Grove Township | — | — | — | — |
Melrose Township: not graded. Grove 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 Melrose adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Melrose
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Melrose is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Melrose’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Melrose | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%16.5–22.3 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.5–15.2 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17.2 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%32.4–41.9 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6%10.2–13.4 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%29.6–35.8 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%31.6–38.2 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.2%21.8–26.9 | 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 | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.3–8.3 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.4%5.4–7.6 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%9.9–14.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%11.8–16.8 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%23.5–31.9 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.7–19.9 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.4%26.4–34.8 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.7%10.5–15.3 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75%72–78.1 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.5%64.4–70.6 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.3%82.2–86.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.2%75.6–80.8 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%63.9–71.6 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.7%75.2–85.6 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.2–26.1 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%26.6–34.7 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%19.5–25.9 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.7%12.2–17.5 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10–13.9 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7–9.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8%7.9–12 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%26.9–34.6 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%11.8–16.2 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.5–16.3 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.4–9.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.1–9.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.4–4.5 | 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 Melrose
Is Melrose a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Melrose is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #208 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Melrose?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 41.9%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Melrose?
Centracare Health System - Sauk Centre in Sauk Centre, 8.2 miles in a straight line from Melrose’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Melrose have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.5–15.3%), 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 Melrose 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 Melrose.
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.