Isaac Bargen House · Photo: Jatakuck · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Mountain Lake is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns
Mountain Lake differs from Minnesota on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mountain Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mountain Lake
More Mountain Lake adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.2%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Mountain Lake
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.4%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.2%), vs 3.1% across Minnesota. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.9%, vs 5.9% across Minnesota. In all, Mountain Lake runs above Minnesota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
1 in 9 working-age adults in Mountain Lake has no health insurance
11.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 7.5% across Minnesota. Checkups ↓
Mountain Lake is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Mountain Lake is healthier than 43%. Against the 10,144 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 58%. Health Grade ↓
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 Mountain Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Mountain Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mountain Lake is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns. 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 18%).
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). Mountain Lake’s median household income is $66,490; among the 10,144 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 58%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Mountain Lake adults…
Mountain Lake runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Mountain Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Care in and near Mountain Lake
No hospital or community health center in Mountain Lake 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 Mountain Lake; ≈ 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).
How Mountain Lake adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 3 Mountain Lake 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.
10.8% of Mountain Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Mountain Lake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Lake | C+ | 37.4% | 13% | 15.8% | CDC place |
| Midway Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Mountain Lake Township | — | — | — | — |
Midway Township and Mountain Lake 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 Mountain Lake adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mountain Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mountain Lake is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Mountain Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mountain Lake | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.7%17.4–24.2 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%11.9–15.9 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.4–17.4 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%29.8–45.3 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.2–15 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%31.6–40 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%32.2–41 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%23.3–29.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.5–11 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.9–9.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%6.2–8.9 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.6%10.2–15.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.8%13.1–18.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%26.1–36.7 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%12.9–18.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.4%25.3–37.7 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.1%9–13.5 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.4%71.5–78.9 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.4%58.7–65.8 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%81.9–86.1 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.2–81.6 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%60.8–70.8 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%66.4–81.2 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.2–26.3 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%26.6–36.9 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%20.4–27.9 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.5%12.7–18.6 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.1–12.9 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.6–7.7 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.3–9.9 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%8.7–13.1 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.1%28.5–38.2 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.1–18.4 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%12.5–16.7 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8–10.4 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.6–10.5 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–5 | 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 Mountain Lake
Is Mountain Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mountain Lake is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Mountain Lake?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.8% and 45.3%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Mountain Lake?
Windom Area Health in Windom, 11.2 miles in a straight line from Mountain Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Mountain Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–13.5%), 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 Mountain Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Mountain Lake.
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.