Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Park Rapids is healthier than 94%
Park Rapids differs from Minnesota on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Park Rapids. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Park Rapids
Minnesota sets a high bar
Park Rapids is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, but only 22% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Park Rapids is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Park Rapids’ 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 ↓
Dental care lags in Park Rapids
62% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.5% across Minnesota. Among those 65 and older, 14.7% have lost all their teeth (Minnesota 8.9%). Park Rapids’ county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Park Rapids
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Park Rapids runs above Minnesota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Park Rapids is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Park Rapids is healthier than 55%. Against the 3,905 towns with similar household incomes ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 94%. Health Grade ↓
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 Park Rapids’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Park Rapids’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Park Rapids is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns, #212 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 74% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). Park Rapids’ median household income is $44,747; among the 3,905 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 94%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Park Rapids is healthier than 22% of graded towns, against 54% nationally.
Care in and near Park Rapids
1 hospital in Park Rapids, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Park Rapids; ≈ 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 Park Rapids adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Out of every 100 Park Rapids adults…
Park Rapids runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Park Rapids is an older town: 28% 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 Park Rapids as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
1.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Park Rapids adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Park Rapids 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.
10.2% of Park Rapids adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Park Rapids and the towns around it
Park Rapids’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Rapids | B− | 35.5% | 12.8% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Todd Township | B | 35.6% | 13.2% | 14.4% | ZIP 56470 |
| Henrietta Township | B | 35.7% | 13.4% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Straight River Township | — | — | — | — |
Straight River 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 Park Rapids adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Park Rapids
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Park Rapids is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Park Rapids’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Park Rapids | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.1%16–22.7 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.7–15.6 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.6–17.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%29.3–41.7 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11–14.8 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.8%30–37.5 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%30.4–37.9 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29%25.8–32.1 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.1–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.6–11.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.1–9.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.2–9.1 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.7%11.9–17.7 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%12.2–17.9 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.4%21.9–31.5 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%13.5–19.1 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%24.4–35.6 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%6.7–10.7 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.7–80.3 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62%58.5–65.4 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.2–87.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.9%78.3–83.2 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%64.1–73.1 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.7%67.9–82.2 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.3%20.1–26.7 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.8%26.2–35.6 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.1–23.6 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%10.5–15.9 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.7%7.9–11.5 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.7–9.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.2%8–12.7 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%28.3–37.5 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%12.9–18.6 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.2–16.6 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.5–6.3 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.5–10.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.4–4.9 | 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 Park Rapids
Is Park Rapids a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Park Rapids is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #212 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 Park Rapids?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 41.7%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Park Rapids?
St. Josephs Area Health Services in Park Rapids, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Park Rapids’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Park Rapids have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.7–10.7%), 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 Park Rapids 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 Park Rapids.
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.