Photo: Own work · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Ottertail residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Ottertail, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ottertail. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ottertail
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Ottertail
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.8%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 5.9% across Minnesota. In all, Ottertail runs above Minnesota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Ottertail keeps up with checkups
It beats Minnesota on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.9% vs 74.8%) and dentist visits (70.9% vs 67.5%). Checkups ↓
Ottertail is short on dental care and mental health care
Ottertail’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fewer Ottertail adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Ottertail’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Ottertail adults…
Ottertail runs above MN on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ottertail is an older town: 32% 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 Ottertail as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ottertail adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Care in and near Ottertail
No hospital or community health center in Ottertail 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 Ottertail; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.6% of Ottertail adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Ottertail adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Ottertail 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.
Ottertail 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Tail Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Leaf Lake Township | — | — | — | — |
Otter Tail 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 Ottertail adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Ottertail
Why doesn’t Ottertail have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Ottertail.
What hospital is closest to Ottertail?
Perham Health in Perham, 11.1 miles in a straight line from Ottertail’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 Ottertail.
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.