Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Minnesota, Sauk Centre is healthier than 22% of graded towns
Sauk Centre differs from Minnesota on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sauk Centre. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sauk Centre
Minnesota sets a high bar
Sauk Centre is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, but only 22% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Sauk Centre
1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.4%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Sauk Centre runs above Minnesota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Sauk Centre, and more people treating it
34.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 79.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Sauk Centre is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sauk Centre is healthier than 55%. Against the 9,533 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 78%. 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 Sauk Centre’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Sauk Centre’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sauk Centre 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); no exercise pulls it down (better than 42%).
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’s median household income is $62,628; among the 9,533 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 78%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Sauk Centre adults…
Sauk Centre runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Sauk Centre is an older town: 25% 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 Sauk Centre as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sauk Centre adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Care in and near Sauk Centre
1 hospital in Sauk Centre, 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 Sauk Centre; ≈ 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.
1.4 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How Sauk Centre adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Sauk Centre 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.
9.5% of Sauk Centre adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Sauk Centre and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk Centre | B− | 36.3% | 11.9% | 15.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sauk Centre adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sauk Centre
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 is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Sauk Centre’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 | 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) | 13.7%11.8–15.7 | 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 | 36.3%31.4–41.1 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.2–13.7 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.5–38.1 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.4%33–39.8 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.8%24–29.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.1–9.4 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%6–8.8 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.7–13 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.1%12.3–18.2 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.7%22.3–31.2 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.4–19.4 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.8%24.9–32.9 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%7.2–12 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%73–79 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.4%63.3–69.3 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.7%82.4–86.8 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%77–82 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%66.5–74.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%72.1–83.6 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.3%21.3–27.4 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.2%26–34.3 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%18.5–25.2 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.8%10.2–15.7 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.1–11.8 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5–7.1 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.2–8.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%7.5–11.9 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%27.6–36.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%12.5–17.5 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.2–16.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.2–10.7 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.3–6.1 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.3–10.4 | 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 Sauk Centre
Is Sauk Centre a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sauk Centre is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #212 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 78%. 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?
CDC estimates 36.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 41.1%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sauk Centre?
Centracare Health System - Sauk Centre in Sauk Centre, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Sauk Centre’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sauk Centre have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–12%), 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 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.
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.