Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sauk Centre Township is healthier than 31%
Sauk Centre Township differs from Minnesota on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 56378. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sauk Centre Township
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Sauk Centre Township
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.4%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Sauk Centre Township runs above Minnesota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Sauk Centre Township’s lead shrinks
Sauk Centre Township is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, but 31% of the 8,781 towns with similar household incomes ($74K–$123K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
More Sauk Centre Township adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (26.2%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Sauk Centre Township
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.1%), vs 13.1% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
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 Sauk Centre Township’s likely range; Sauk Centre Township’s figures come from ZIP code 56378, 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 Sauk Centre Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sauk Centre Township is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 69% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Sauk Centre Township’s median household income is $98,611; among the 8,781 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 31%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Sauk Centre Township adults…
Sauk Centre Township runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
2.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Sauk Centre Township
No hospital or community health center in Sauk Centre 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 Sauk Centre 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Sauk Centre Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Sauk Centre Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Sauk Centre 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.
9.7% of Sauk Centre Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Sauk Centre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk Centre Township | B− | 37.2% | 11.8% | 16.1% | ZIP 56378 |
| Melrose Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Kandota Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Ashley Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Getty Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Birchdale Township | — | — | — | — |
Melrose Township: not graded. Kandota Township, Ashley Township, Getty Township and Birchdale 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 Sauk Centre Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sauk Centre Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sauk Centre Township is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Sauk Centre Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sauk Centre Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19%16.8–21.4 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12.2–15.2 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.3–17.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.2%32.9–41.6 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.5–13.3 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.7%31.9–37.5 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%33.3–39.3 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%24.2–28.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%9.1–11.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.3–11 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7.1–8.7 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.6–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.5%8.8–12.5 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%14.1–18.4 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%23.2–29.7 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%15.1–19.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.7%26.2–33.4 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.2–10.4 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%72.8–78.1 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.1%62.3–67.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.7%82.9–86.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.9%76.6–81 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.4%66.9–73.7 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%72.2–82.1 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%22.2–27.5 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%26.7–33.7 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%18.9–24.5 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.7%10.7–14.8 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%8.4–11.2 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.7%8.1–11.3 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.2%28.1–34.6 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%12.7–16.3 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.9–16.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%8–9.9 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.4–5.6 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.5 | 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 Sauk Centre Township
Is Sauk Centre Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sauk Centre Township is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− 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 Sauk Centre Township?
CDC estimates 37.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 41.6%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sauk Centre Township?
Centracare Health System - Sauk Centre in Sauk Centre, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Sauk Centre Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sauk Centre Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10.4%), 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 Sauk Centre 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 Sauk Centre 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.