Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, North Oaks is healthier than 20%
North Oaks differs from Minnesota on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Oaks. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Oaks
Against towns with similar incomes, North Oaks’ lead shrinks
North Oaks is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, but 20% of the 574 towns with similar household incomes ($174K–$290K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in North Oaks
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.3%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Arthritis is also above the state: 26.5%, vs 22.3% across Minnesota. In all, North Oaks runs above Minnesota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
North Oaks keeps up with checkups
It beats Minnesota on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (80.6% vs 74.8%) and dentist visits (75.4% vs 67.5%). Checkups ↓
North Oaks is an active town
Only 15.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 22.3% across Minnesota. The town has 26 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 North Oaks’ likely range.
What’s behind North Oaks’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Oaks is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #25 of 271 in Minnesota. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 70%.
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). North Oaks’ median household income is $231,742; among the 574 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($174K–$290K), it’s healthier than 20%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 North Oaks adults…
North Oaks runs below MN on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
North Oaks is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in North Oaks as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Oaks 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.
26 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near North Oaks
No hospital or community health center in North Oaks 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 North Oaks; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How North Oaks adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, North Oaks does better than Minnesota.
3 in 10 North Oaks 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.
3.6% of North Oaks adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
North Oaks and the towns around it
North Oaks’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Oaks | A | 27.9% | 10.8% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| White Bear Township | A | 30.8% | 10% | 10.7% | ZIP codes |
| Shoreview | A+ | 28.9% | 9.4% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Vadnais Heights | A− | 31.5% | 10.6% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Lino Lakes | A | 35% | 9% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Oaks adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Oaks
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Oaks is better than Minnesota on 18 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside North Oaks’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Oaks | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.9%11.5–16.9 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.6%9.1–12.4 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%9.8–12.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.9%24.9–31 | 33.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.4–12.5 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%32.2–37.6 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.6%36.9–42.4 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 26.5%24.1–29 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.1%8.1–10.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13%11.8–14.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.3–8.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 4.8%3.8–6.2 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.3%3.5–5.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.9%5.8–10.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.6%13–18.9 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%12.1–15.5 | 17.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 23.6%21.2–25.9 | 29.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4%3–5.6 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.6%78.6–82.7 | 74.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.4%73.3–77.3 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.6%90.2–92.8 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.9%79.5–84.2 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.5%71.8–77 | 68.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%77.5–84.9 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.8%20.5–25.1 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%27.5–33.9 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.4%16–21.4 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.2%4.6–8.6 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 4.8%3.7–6.3 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.1%2.5–3.9 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.2%3.4–5.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.6%2.5–5.3 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.5%22.4–29.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%9.7–14.3 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.6%7.2–10.3 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.2–9.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.7–4 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.5–6.8 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.1–3.3 | 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 North Oaks
Is North Oaks a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Oaks is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #25 of 271 in Minnesota. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Oaks?
CDC estimates 27.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.9% and 31%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Oaks?
M Health Fairview St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, 6.2 miles in a straight line from North Oaks’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Oaks have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3–5.6%), 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 North Oaks more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in North Oaks.
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.