Photo: LakeLida at English Wikipedia · Public domainWithin Minnesota, Pelican Rapids is healthier than 9% of graded towns
Pelican Rapids trails Minnesota on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pelican Rapids. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pelican Rapids
Dental care lags in Pelican Rapids
54% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.5% across Minnesota. Among those 65 and older, 19.6% have lost all their teeth (Minnesota 8.9%). Pelican Rapids’ county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
More Pelican Rapids adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.1%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Pelican Rapids
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.4%), vs 11.4% across Minnesota. Housing insecurity (15.7% vs 9.3%) and utility shut-off threats (9.3% vs 5.7%) are higher too. 14.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Pelican Rapids is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Pelican Rapids is healthier than 39%. Against the 9,713 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 56%. 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 Pelican Rapids’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Pelican Rapids’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelican Rapids is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, #248 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 68% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Pelican Rapids’ median household income is $63,917; among the 9,713 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 56%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pelican Rapids 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.
0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.4% of Pelican Rapids adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Out of every 100 Pelican Rapids adults…
Pelican Rapids runs above MN on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pelican Rapids
No hospital or community health center in Pelican Rapids 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 Pelican 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).
How Pelican Rapids adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Pelican Rapids runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 Pelican 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.
Pelican Rapids and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelican Rapids | C+ | 36.9% | 12.6% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pelican Rapids adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pelican Rapids
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pelican Rapids is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Pelican Rapids’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pelican Rapids | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%19.4–26 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12–15.7 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–17.9 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%31.6–42.3 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.9–14.3 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 30.7%27.5–33.9 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31.7–38.6 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.5%20.9–26 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7–8.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.1–8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.5%5.4–7.8 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.6%16.4–23.1 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.3%13.8–19 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.1%27.6–36.6 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.5–18.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%30.2–41.1 | 29.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.7%12.6–18.8 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.3%69.8–76.8 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54%50.4–57.6 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.8%80.3–84.9 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.7–80 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.7%60–69.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%71.8–84.2 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.4%18.5–24.4 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%30.1–39.2 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%21.8–29 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.4%16.9–23.9 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.7%13.2–18.3 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%7.9–10.8 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%9.2–12.4 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.4%11.9–17.2 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.1%29–37.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.3%12.9–17.7 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%13.5–17.7 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.1–9.1 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.6–7.4 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%7.9–10.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 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 Pelican Rapids
Is Pelican Rapids a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelican Rapids is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #248 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 56%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pelican Rapids?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 42.3%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pelican Rapids?
Perham Health in Perham, 23.4 miles in a straight line from Pelican Rapids’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pelican Rapids have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.6–18.8%), 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 Pelican Rapids more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pelican 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.