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Listening PointListening Point · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0
≈ BHealth Grade
Health in Morse Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Morse Township is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns

Morse Township differs from Minnesota on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 8 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 55731. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Morse Township

Heart disease, COPD and cancer run high in Morse Township

1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.7%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. Cancer is also above the state: 11.6%, vs 8.5% across Minnesota. In all, Morse Township runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 43% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and heart disease, COPD and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Morse Township, and more people treating it

37.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 82.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓

Morse Township keeps up with checkups

It beats Minnesota on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.4% vs 74.8%) and cholesterol checks (87.7% vs 85.3%). 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 Morse Township’s likely range; Morse Township’s figures come from ZIP code 55731, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Morse Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morse Township is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 33%).

BSelf-rated health18.6% · MN 16% · U.S. 19.4%
BPhysical distress13.7% · MN 11.3% · U.S. 13%
AMental distress14.5% · MN 15.1% · U.S. 15.9%
BObesity35.3% · MN 33.5% · U.S. 32.9%
CDiabetes13.2% · MN 10.1% · U.S. 12%
B−Smoking14.6% smoke · MN 13.1% · U.S. 11.8%
BExercise24.6% · MN 22.3% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 59%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $61K–$101K (10,716)Healthier 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). Morse Township’s median household income is $80,815; among the 10,716 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$101K), it’s healthier than 62%, about where its income would put it.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Morse Township could be anywhere from C to A−. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 55731), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Morse Township adults…

Morse Township runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Morse Township adults have heart disease
Minnesota: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 7.7–9.8%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Why age matters here

Morse Township is an older town: 43% 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 Morse Township as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Morse Township43%
Minnesota17%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Morse Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.

78%Yearly checkupMN 75%
65%Dentist visitMN 68%
88%Cholesterol checkMN 85%
73%Colon screeningMN 69%
81%MammogramMN 79%
82%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Morse Township 6.5% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Getting care

Care in and near Morse Township

No hospital or community health center in Morse Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest EREly - Bloomenson Community HospitalEly · 6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCook Area Health ServicesTower · 14.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6 mi
Ely - Bloomenson Community Hospital
Ely · not rated
ERRural critical access
14.2 mi
Cook Area Health Services
4 sites · nearest in Tower
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
25.6 mi
Essentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center
Aurora · not rated
ERRural critical access
32.7 mi
Cook Hospital
Cook · not rated
ERRural critical access
34.4 mi
Essentia Health Virginia
Virginia · ★★★★★
55.5 mi
Sawtooth Mountain Clinic
2 sites · nearest in Tofte
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary carePart of Morse Township is a federal shortage area.St. Louis · need score 14 of 25
! Dental carePart of Morse Township is a federal shortage area.Greater St. Louis · need score 12 of 25
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Morse Township itself

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 Morse 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota

Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.

Get no exercise 24.6%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 31.8%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 16.4%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 14.6%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Morse Township, betterMorse Township, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Morse Township gets moving

67 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Morse Township adults are doing

About the same as Minnesota on each measure.

3 in 10Morse Township adults feel lonely
30.8% · MN 31.2% · About the same as MN
1 in 5Morse Township adults lack social or emotional support
20.3% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Morse Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.2% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 7Morse Township adults are in frequent mental distress
14.5% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Morse Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 9
Morse Township adults worry about having enough food
10.6% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 13
Morse Township adults worry about keeping their housing
7.7% · MN 9.3%
Better than MN
1 in 19
Morse Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.2% · MN 5.7%
About the same as MN
1 in 14
Morse Township adults lack reliable transportation
7% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

8.2% of Morse Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Morse Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Winton: 34.7%Fall Lake Township: 35.3%Eagles Nest Township: 35.3%Stony River Township: 34.7%Crystal Bay Township: 35.1%Breitung Township: 36%Morse Township: 35.3%Morse TownshipWintonFall Lake TownshipEagles Nest TownshipEly - Bloomenson Community Hospital · Ely · 6 miHEssentia Health Northern Pines Medical Center · Aurora · 25.6 miHScenic Rivers Health Services · Tower · 14.2 mi+
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#4 of 7 towns on this map, healthiest first
Winton34.7%
Morse Township35.3%
Fall Lake Township35.3%
Eagles Nest Township35.3%
MN33.5%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Morse TownshipB35.3%13.2%14.6%ZIP 55731
Winton————
Fall Lake Township————
Eagles Nest Township————

Winton, Fall Lake Township and Eagles Nest Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

32.6%

of Morse Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.6%
Thinking or memory12.5%
Hearing9.5%
Errands alone7.8%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.9%
Minnesota

Every CDC estimate for Morse Township

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Morse Township is better than Minnesota on 5 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Morse Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Morse TownshipMNU.S.vs MN
Overall health
Fair or poor health18.6%16–21.516%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.7%12–15.611.3%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)14.5%12.8–16.415.1%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity35.3%30.8–40.133.5%32.9%About the same
Diabetes13.2%11.5–15.110.1%12%Worse
High blood pressure37.2%34–40.731%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)36.5%33.3–39.933.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis30.3%27.4–33.222.3%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.3%9–11.59.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer11.6%10.5–12.78.5%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.7%7.7–9.85.9%6.4%Worse
COPD7.6%6.4–8.85.4%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.2%3.8–4.83.1%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)7.9%6.6–9.48.9%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.6%12.1–17.213.1%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work24.6%21.1–28.622.3%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking16.4%13.9–19.117.8%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours31.8%28.4–35.229.2%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.5%5.2–8.17.5%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year78.4%75.3–81.174.8%77.4%Better
Dentist visit in the past year65.4%62.7–68.167.5%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years87.7%86–89.285.3%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)82.2%79.7–84.576.1%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)73.3%69.9–76.468.7%65.5%Better
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)80.8%76.4–84.878.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression23.2%20.2–26.224.4%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely30.8%27.4–34.431.2%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support20.3%17.7–23.121.5%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food10.6%8.6–12.711.4%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing7.7%6.4–99.3%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off5.2%4.4–65.7%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation7%6–87.1%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)8.2%6.5–107.9%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability32.6%28.9–36.527.4%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs15.6%13.5–18.111.4%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering12.5%10.9–14.512.8%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty9.5%8.5–10.86.8%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.7%4.1–5.44%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone7.8%6.8–9.17%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.9%3.4–4.53.1%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 Morse Township

Is Morse Township a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morse Township is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 62%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Morse Township?

CDC estimates 35.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.8% and 40.1%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Morse Township?

Ely - Bloomenson Community Hospital in Ely, 6.0 miles in a straight line from Morse Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Morse Township have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.1%), 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 Morse Township 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 Morse Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.