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Bethelhem Lutheran ChurchBethelhem Lutheran Church · Photo: Jonathunder · CC BY-SA 3.0
B−Health Grade
Health in Nordland Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Nordland Township is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns

Nordland Township differs from Minnesota on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 13 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 56431. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Nordland Township

Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Nordland Township

1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.1%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 5%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Nordland Township runs above Minnesota on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

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

41.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 83.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓

In Nordland Township, insurance isn’t the gap

Only 7.1% of working-age adults are uninsured (Minnesota 7.5%), yet 20.1% say their health is fair or poor, vs 16% across the state. 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 Nordland Township’s likely range; Nordland Township’s figures come from ZIP code 56431, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.

Health Grade

What’s behind Nordland Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nordland Township is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 90% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 15%).

B−Self-rated health20.1% · MN 16% · U.S. 19.4%
C+Physical distress14.7% · MN 11.3% · U.S. 13%
AMental distress13.9% · MN 15.1% · U.S. 15.9%
B+Obesity33.3% · MN 33.5% · U.S. 32.9%
C−Diabetes15% · MN 10.1% · U.S. 12%
C+Smoking15.9% smoke · MN 13.1% · U.S. 11.8%
CExercise28.3% · MN 22.3% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 47%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $57K–$95K (10,821)Healthier than 50%

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). Nordland Township’s median household income is $76,125; among the 10,821 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.

Where Nordland Township compares well: cholesterol check in 5 years, 88.7% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 83.5% (U.S. 76.5%); feel lonely, 26.9% (U.S. 32.5%).

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Nordland Township could be anywhere from C− to B+. Shared figures. CDC doesn’t publish an estimate for Nordland Township itself, so these are ZIP code 56431’s, which Nordland Township shares with Farm Island Township. The two towns get the same figures and the same grade, and the ZIP’s 7,328 adults include people outside Nordland Township.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Nordland Township adults…

Nordland Township runs above MN on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Nordland Township adults have heart disease
Minnesota: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 9.1–11.1%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Why age matters here

Nordland Township is an older town: 37% 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 Nordland Township as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Nordland Township37%
Minnesota17%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%Yearly checkupMN 75%
66%Dentist visitMN 68%
89%Cholesterol checkMN 85%
72%Colon screeningMN 69%
77%MammogramMN 79%
84%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Nordland Township 7.1% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Getting care

Care in and near Nordland Township

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

HNearest ERRiverwood Healthcare CenterAitkin · 5.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCuyuna Regional Medical Center★★★★★ · 14.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCook Area Health ServicesFloodwood · 46.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.2 mi
Riverwood Healthcare Center
Aitkin · not rated
ERRural critical access
14.9 mi
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center
Crosby · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
27.2 mi
Mille Lacs Health System
Onamia · not rated
ERRural critical access
28.1 mi
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center
Brainerd · ★★★★★
ER
46.8 mi
Cook Area Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Floodwood
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
59.1 mi
Lake Superior Community Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Carlton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careNordland Township is a federal shortage area for some residents.LI North Aitkin RSA 58 · need score 13 of 25
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Nordland Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Nordland 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 Nordland 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 28.3%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.2%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 15.4%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 15.9%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Nordland Township, betterNordland Township, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Nordland Township gets moving

0.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Nordland Township adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Nordland Township does better than Minnesota.

1 in 4Nordland Township adults feel lonely
26.9% · MN 31.2% · Better than MN
1 in 5Nordland Township adults lack social or emotional support
20% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Nordland Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.1% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 7Nordland Township adults are in frequent mental distress
13.9% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 4 Nordland 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
Nordland Township adults worry about having enough food
11.4% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 13
Nordland Township adults worry about keeping their housing
7.9% · MN 9.3%
Better than MN
1 in 19
Nordland Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.4% · MN 5.7%
About the same as MN
1 in 15
Nordland Township adults lack reliable transportation
6.7% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

8.8% of Nordland Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Nordland Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Farm Island Township: 33.3%Glen Township: 33.3%Wealthwood Township: 33.3%Spencer Township: 33.3%Deerwood Township: 36.4%Hazelton Township: 33.3%Aitkin Township: 33.3%Aitkin: 32.6%Kimberly Township: 33.3%Malmo Township: 33.3%Lee Township: 33.5%Lakeside Township: 37.5%South Harbor Township: 41.6%Morrison Township: 33.3%Nordland Township: 33.3%Nordland TownshipFarm Island TownshipGlen TownshipWealthwood TownshipSpencer TownshipRiverwood Healthcare Center · Aitkin · 5.2 miHMille Lacs Health System · Onamia · 27.2 miH
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#2 of 15 towns on this map, healthiest first
Nordland Township33.3%
Farm Island Township33.3%
Glen Township33.3%
Wealthwood Township33.3%
Spencer Township33.3%
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
Nordland Township · Farm Island TownshipB−33.3%15%15.9%ZIP 56431
Glen Township————
Wealthwood Township————
Spencer Township————

Nordland Township and Farm Island Township share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Glen Township, Wealthwood Township and Spencer 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.

34.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.7%
Thinking or memory13%
Hearing11.3%
Errands alone8.7%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing4.5%
Minnesota

Every CDC estimate for Nordland Township

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nordland Township is better than Minnesota on 5 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Nordland Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Nordland TownshipMNU.S.vs MN
Overall health
Fair or poor health20.1%17.7–22.716%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)14.7%13.1–16.411.3%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)13.9%12.4–15.515.1%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity33.3%27.6–39.733.5%32.9%About the same
Diabetes15%13.2–16.910.1%12%Worse
High blood pressure41.8%38.1–45.831%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)39.5%35.7–43.633.4%37.1%Worse
Arthritis33.3%30.2–36.822.3%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.1%9.1–11.39.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer12.9%11.9–14.18.5%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease10.1%9.1–11.15.9%6.4%Worse
COPD9%8–10.15.4%6.3%Worse
Stroke5%4.6–5.43.1%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)13.9%11.5–16.58.9%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.9%14–18.113.1%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work28.3%24.4–32.722.3%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking15.4%13–18.117.8%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours30.2%25.1–35.629.2%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)7.1%6.1–8.37.5%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year80%77.1–82.874.8%77.4%Better
Dentist visit in the past year66.4%63.3–69.567.5%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years88.7%87.5–9085.3%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)83.5%81.2–85.876.1%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)71.5%67.2–75.568.7%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)77.2%70.4–82.978.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression23.1%20.2–26.424.4%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely26.9%22.9–31.131.2%32.5%Better
Lack social and emotional support20%17.2–22.921.5%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food11.4%9.7–13.311.4%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing7.9%6.8–9.29.3%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off5.4%4.7–6.25.7%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation6.7%5.9–7.57.1%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)8.8%7.5–10.37.9%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability34.5%30.7–38.527.4%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs17.7%15.6–19.911.4%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering13%11.7–14.512.8%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty11.3%10.2–12.56.8%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.4%4.9–5.94%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone8.7%7.8–9.77%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.5%4.1–53.1%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 Nordland Township

Is Nordland Township a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nordland Township is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns: B− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 50%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Nordland Township?

CDC estimates 33.3% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 56431, which Nordland Township shares with Farm Island Township) have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 39.7%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Nordland Township?

Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin, 5.2 miles in a straight line from Nordland Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Nordland Township have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.3%), 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 Nordland Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+. The figures are ZIP code 56431’s, shared with Farm Island Township.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Nordland 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.