Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Palmer Township is healthier than 19%
Palmer Township trails Minnesota on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 55319, 56304. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palmer Township
Minnesota sets a high bar
Palmer Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but only 24% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Palmer Township’s lead shrinks
Palmer Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but 19% of the 5,661 towns with similar household incomes ($90K–$151K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Obesity runs high in Palmer Township
2 in 5 adults have obesity (40.6%), vs 33.5% across Minnesota. Conditions ↓
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 Palmer Township’s likely range; Palmer Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 55319, 56304, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Palmer Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #207 of 271 in Minnesota. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 77% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Palmer Township’s median household income is $120,625; among the 5,661 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($90K–$151K), it’s healthier than 19%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Palmer Township is healthier than 24% of graded towns, against 57% nationally.
Out of every 100 Palmer Township adults…
Palmer Township runs above MN on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Palmer Township
No hospital or community health center in Palmer 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 Palmer 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).
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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Palmer Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Palmer Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Palmer 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.
10.5% of Palmer Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Palmer Township and the towns around it
Palmer Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer Township | B | 40.6% | 10.5% | 15.6% | ZIP codes |
| St. George Township | B | 40.6% | 10.1% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
| Santiago Township | B+ | 38.1% | 9.4% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Haven Township | C | 43.6% | 11.6% | 18.5% | ZIP 56304 |
| Becker Township | — | — | — | — |
Becker Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palmer Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palmer Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palmer Township is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Palmer Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palmer Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.3%15.2–19.5 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.9–13.7 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.8–18.2 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.6%35.4–46 | 33.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.9%28.8–35 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.2%30–36.5 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.6%21.2–26.1 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.2–11.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%5.3–6.8 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%10.4–14.7 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%13.5–17.9 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.5%22–29.2 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.9%17–22.9 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.1%25.1–33.5 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.8%6.6–9.2 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.6%70.3–76.7 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.4%63.5–69.2 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%82–85.7 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.6–78.1 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.8%64–71.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79%73.5–84 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%21.5–27.5 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30%26.4–33.9 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.1%18.5–24 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.4%11.6–15.5 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%9.2–12 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%6.1–7.9 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.5%9.1–12.2 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.3%27–33.8 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.6–13.8 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.7–15.9 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.4–7.9 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4–5 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.2–3.9 | 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 Palmer Township
Is Palmer Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #207 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 Palmer Township?
CDC estimates 40.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 46%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palmer Township?
Centracare - St. Cloud Hospital in Saint Cloud, 11.4 miles in a straight line from Palmer Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palmer Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–9.2%), 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 Palmer Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Palmer 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. 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.