Photo: Lorie Shaull · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Scandia is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Scandia differs from Minnesota on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Scandia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Scandia
Scandia keeps up with checkups
It beats Minnesota on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.5% vs 74.8%) and dentist visits (75.8% vs 67.5%). Checkups ↓
Cancer, diabetes and arthritis run high in Scandia
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. 1 in 8 adults have diabetes (11.9%), vs 10.1% across Minnesota. Arthritis is also above the state: 26%, vs 22.3% across Minnesota. In all, Scandia runs above Minnesota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and cancer, diabetes and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Scandia adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (26.8% vs 31.2%), frequent mental distress (12.8% vs 15.1%) and lack of emotional support (17.3% vs 21.5%) all run below Minnesota. Mind & connection ↓
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 Scandia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Scandia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Scandia is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #90 of 271 in Minnesota. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 95% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 52%.
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). Scandia’s median household income is $101,953; among the 8,300 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 78%, about where its income would put it.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Scandia is healthier than 67% of graded towns, against 83% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Scandia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Out of every 100 Scandia adults…
Scandia runs below MN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Scandia is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Arthritis, cancer and diabetes rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Scandia as about how healthy they are.
How Scandia adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Scandia does better than Minnesota.
1 in 4 Scandia 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.
Care in and near Scandia
No hospital or community health center in Scandia 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 Scandia; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
14 miles of trails across 10 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.
4.7% of Scandia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Scandia and the towns around it
Scandia’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 7 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scandia | A− | 33.6% | 11.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Forest Lake | A− | 34.5% | 10.6% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| May Township | A | 32.7% | 11% | 10.5% | ZIP codes |
| Chisago Lake Township | A− | 36.2% | 10.6% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Franconia Township | A− | 36.4% | 10% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Marine on St. Croix | — | — | — | — | |
| Chisago City | B+ | 35.9% | 11% | 14% | CDC place |
Marine on St. Croix: 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 Scandia adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Scandia
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Scandia is better than Minnesota on 15 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Scandia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Scandia | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.4%12.2–17 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.8–13 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.2–14.5 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%29.3–38.1 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.3–13.6 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.8%30.7–37 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%35.3–41.9 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 26%23.4–28.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.5–10.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10–12.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%4.7–6.6 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.3%3.5–5.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%9.5–14.5 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.6%16.5–23.3 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%13.2–17.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 24.2%21.2–27.4 | 29.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5%3.9–6.3 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%75.9–81.2 | 74.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.8%73.4–78 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.7%88.2–91 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%77.4–83 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.6%69.3–75.7 | 68.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.7%78.1–86.8 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.4–26.1 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.8%23.6–30.1 | 31.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.3%14.7–20 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.2%5.7–9.1 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.2%5–7.5 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.9%3.2–4.7 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.8%4–5.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.7%3.6–6 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.3%22–29.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.5–13.3 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.6%9.1–12.4 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.9–3.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5–6.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.5–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Scandia
Is Scandia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Scandia is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #90 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 Scandia?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 38.1%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Scandia?
Ladd Memorial Hospital in Osceola, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Scandia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Scandia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.9–6.3%), 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 Scandia more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Scandia.
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.