Church of Sts. Joseph and Mary-Catholic · Photo: Jet Lowe · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Perch Lake Township is healthier than 22%
Perch Lake Township trails Minnesota on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 55720, 55780. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Perch Lake Township
Making ends meet is harder in Perch Lake Township
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.6%), vs 11.4% across Minnesota. No reliable transportation (9.4% vs 7.1%) and utility shut-off threats (7.4% vs 5.7%) are higher too. 11.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Perch Lake Township
60.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.5% across Minnesota. Among those 65 and older, 13% have lost all their teeth (Minnesota 8.9%). Checkups ↓
COPD, diabetes and stroke run high in Perch Lake Township
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 8 adults have diabetes (12.4%), vs 10.1% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 3.8%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Perch Lake Township runs above Minnesota on five of 11 chronic conditions. 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 Perch Lake Township’s likely range; Perch Lake Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 55720, 55780, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Perch Lake Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Perch Lake Township is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 54% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Perch Lake Township’s median household income is $90,000; among the 9,954 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$113K), it’s healthier than 22%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.1% of Perch Lake Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Keeping up with care
Share of Perch Lake Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Out of every 100 Perch Lake Township adults…
Perch Lake Township runs above MN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Perch Lake Township
No hospital or community health center in Perch Lake 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 Perch Lake 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.
13 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves
How Perch Lake Township adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Perch Lake Township runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 Perch Lake 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.
Perch Lake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perch Lake Township | C+ | 39.5% | 12.4% | 17.9% | ZIP codes |
| Cloquet | C+ | 39.1% | 11.8% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Stoney Brook Township | — | — | — | — |
Stoney Brook 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 Perch Lake Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Perch Lake Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Perch Lake Township is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Perch Lake Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Perch Lake Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.6–22.2 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.5–15.4 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.4–18.8 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.5%34.3–44.6 | 33.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.4%11–13.9 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%30.5–36.7 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%30.2–36.6 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.1%22.6–27.6 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.2–9.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7%6.2–7.8 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.8–15.5 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.9%15.6–20.2 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%23.7–30.9 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.9%16.3–21.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%32.3–41.3 | 29.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%7.1–9.7 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.3%70–76.3 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.5%57.4–63.6 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%81.7–85.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%73.9–78.9 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.5%64.7–72.2 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.9%70.9–82.2 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.4%24.1–30.6 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%29.8–37.5 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%19.3–24.9 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.6%12.6–16.9 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%9.7–13 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.5–8.5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%9.5–13 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%30.1–37 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.3–16.9 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.7–17 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8–9.8 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 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 Perch Lake Township
Is Perch Lake Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Perch Lake Township is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Perch Lake Township?
CDC estimates 39.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.3% and 44.6%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Perch Lake Township?
Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Perch Lake Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Perch Lake Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–9.7%), 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 Perch Lake Township 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 Perch Lake 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.