Photo: Billybob2002 · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Moorhead is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Moorhead differs from Minnesota on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Moorhead. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Moorhead
Making ends meet is harder in Moorhead
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.2%), vs 11.4% across Minnesota. Utility shut-off threats (7.3% vs 5.7%) and no reliable transportation (8.9% vs 7.1%) are higher too. 10.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Moorhead has a community health center but no hospital
Community Health Service is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Sanford Medical Center Fargo in Fargo, 4 miles away. 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 Moorhead’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Moorhead’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Moorhead is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #123 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 92% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). Moorhead’s median household income is $72,761; among the 10,714 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Moorhead is healthier than 55% of graded towns, against 76% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.8% of Moorhead adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Care in and near Moorhead
2 community health centers in Moorhead, 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 Moorhead; ≈ 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 Moorhead adults…
Moorhead runs below MN on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Moorhead residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
22 miles of trails across 31 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Moorhead adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Moorhead adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Moorhead runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 Moorhead 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.
Moorhead and the towns around it
Moorhead’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moorhead | A− | 33.2% | 8.9% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Moorhead Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Dilworth | B+ | 34.2% | 10.2% | 14.7% | CDC place |
| Oakport Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Glyndon Township | — | — | — | — |
Moorhead Township, Oakport Township and Glyndon 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 Moorhead adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Moorhead
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Moorhead is better than Minnesota on 4 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Moorhead’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Moorhead | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%14–18 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.7–12.4 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.6–19.4 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%28.1–38.8 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.8–10.2 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 28.9%25.9–32.2 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.4%28.2–34.8 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.2%17.1–21.6 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.5–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.6–5.7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.4–14 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%12.3–16 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.3%19–25.7 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.4%16.4–22.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%27.8–38 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6.7–9 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72%68.4–75.6 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.8%61.3–67.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.2%78.1–82.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.9%68–73.6 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%64.3–72.8 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%72.6–84.8 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.7%23.4–30.3 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33%28.7–37.6 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%18.9–24.9 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.2%12.3–16.2 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9.4–12.4 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%7.9–10 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%9.4–12.4 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.4%25–31.9 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.5–16.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.6–7 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.3–9 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 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 Moorhead
Is Moorhead a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Moorhead is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #123 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Moorhead?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.1% and 38.8%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Moorhead?
Sanford Medical Center Fargo in Fargo, 4.0 miles in a straight line from Moorhead’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Moorhead have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.7–9%), 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 Moorhead 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 Moorhead.
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.