Photo: Own work · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Otter Tail Township residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Otter Tail Township, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56571, 56515, 56551. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Otter Tail Township
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Otter Tail Township
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.3%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.3%, vs 22.3% across Minnesota. In all, Otter Tail Township runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Otter Tail Township is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Otter Tail Township’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Otter Tail Township, and more people treating it
34.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 82.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Otter Tail Township keeps up with checkups
It beats Minnesota on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.2% vs 74.8%) and cholesterol checks (89.1% 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 Otter Tail Township’s likely range; Otter Tail Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 56571, 56515, 56551, which may reach past town lines.
Out of every 100 Otter Tail Township adults…
Otter Tail Township runs above MN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Otter Tail Township is an older town: 38% 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 Otter Tail Township as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Otter Tail Township
No hospital or community health center in Otter Tail Township 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 Otter Tail 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Otter Tail Township 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.
2.6 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves
How Otter Tail Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Otter Tail Township 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.
6.3% of Otter Tail Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Otter Tail Township 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottertail | — | — | — | — | |
| Rush Lake Township | B | 34.5% | 12.1% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
| Girard Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Amor Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Leaf Lake Township | — | — | — | — |
Ottertail, Girard Township, Amor Township and Leaf 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 Otter Tail Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Otter Tail Township
Why doesn’t Otter Tail Township have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Otter Tail Township.
What hospital is closest to Otter Tail Township?
Perham Health in Perham, 12.6 miles in a straight line from Otter Tail Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Otter Tail Township.
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. 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.