Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Sandstone is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Sandstone differs from Minnesota on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 23 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sandstone. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sandstone
Dental care lags in Sandstone
51.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.5% across Minnesota. Among those 65 and older, 19.2% have lost all their teeth (Minnesota 8.9%). Sandstone’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Sandstone
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (23%), vs 13.1% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Sandstone
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.8%), about twice the Minnesota rate. Utility shut-off threats (11.1% vs 5.7%) and housing insecurity (16.7% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 17.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Sandstone is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sandstone is healthier than 19%. Against the 6,415 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 43%. 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 Sandstone’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Sandstone’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandstone is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, #269 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 48% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Sandstone’s median household income is $51,875; among the 6,415 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 43%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Sandstone is healthier than 1% of graded towns, against 19% nationally.
Where Sandstone compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.3% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Sandstone 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.
7.1 miles of trails across 4 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.
17.2% of Sandstone adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Out of every 100 Sandstone adults…
Sandstone runs below MN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Sandstone residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Sandstone
1 hospital in Sandstone, 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 Sandstone; ≈ 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 Sandstone adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Sandstone runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 Sandstone 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.
Sandstone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandstone | C− | 43.7% | 12.2% | 23% | CDC place |
| Sandstone Township | — | — | — | — |
Sandstone 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 Sandstone adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sandstone
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sandstone is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Sandstone’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sandstone | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.9%20.3–27.6 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.6–16.4 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.1–20.6 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.7%36.8–50.8 | 33.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.5–14 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%31.9–39.9 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31%27.3–34.8 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.2%18.6–23.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%6–8.2 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.2%15.6–22.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23%19.1–26.9 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%25.8–35.6 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 21%17.5–24.9 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.4%31.3–43.6 | 29.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.7%10.9–16.8 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.6%66.2–74.8 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.3%47.4–54.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.9%75.1–80.9 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.1%66.6–73.7 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.6%50.3–60.6 | 68.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69%60.7–76.5 | 78.5% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.4–27.2 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.6%28.8–38.9 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%23.6–31.9 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.8%18.1–25.9 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.7%14.1–19.6 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.1%9.6–12.9 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.2%10.5–14.1 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.2%14.2–20.7 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.1%30.5–39.7 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.2–16.4 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.1–20 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.3–11 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4–5.3 | 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 Sandstone
Is Sandstone a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandstone is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #269 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sandstone?
CDC estimates 43.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.8% and 50.8%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sandstone?
Essentia Health Sandstone in Sandstone, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Sandstone’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sandstone have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.9–16.8%), 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 Sandstone 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 Sandstone.
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.