Winona and St. Peter Freight Depot · Photo: Jatakuck · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Minnesota, Sleepy Eye is healthier than 19% of graded towns
Sleepy Eye differs from Minnesota on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sleepy Eye. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sleepy Eye
Minnesota sets a high bar
Sleepy Eye is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, but only 19% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Sleepy Eye
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.3%), 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, Sleepy Eye runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Sleepy Eye adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (27.4%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
Sleepy Eye is short on dental care and mental health care
Sleepy Eye’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Sleepy Eye is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sleepy Eye is healthier than 51%. Against the 10,185 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 69%. 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 Sleepy Eye’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Sleepy Eye’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sleepy Eye is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #220 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); no exercise 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). Sleepy Eye’s median household income is $66,911; among the 10,185 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 69%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Sleepy Eye adults…
Sleepy Eye 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Care in and near Sleepy Eye
1 hospital in Sleepy Eye, 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 Sleepy Eye; ≈ 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 Sleepy Eye adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Sleepy Eye adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Sleepy Eye 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 Sleepy Eye adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Sleepy Eye and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleepy Eye | B− | 37% | 12.6% | 15.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sleepy Eye adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sleepy Eye
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sleepy Eye is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Sleepy Eye’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sleepy Eye | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16.3–23.1 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.7–15.8 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.4–17.4 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%30.7–43.8 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.8–14.5 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%32.3–39.8 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31.4–39.3 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.2%24.2–30.4 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.2–11.3 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.8–8.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.3%5.9–8.8 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10%8–12.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%12.6–18.5 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%22.8–32.6 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%13.9–19.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.2%21.8–33 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%8–12.2 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.8–80.5 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.5%60.8–67.8 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.3–87.5 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.2–82.4 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.6%68.1–76.4 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.9%73–85.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20–26.8 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%24.2–33.1 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%17.6–24.2 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%10.4–15.7 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%8.2–11.7 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.2–7.2 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%7.6–11.7 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.3%28–37.2 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%12.9–18.4 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12–16.1 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.4–6 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.1–10.1 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.4–4.8 | 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 Sleepy Eye
Is Sleepy Eye a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sleepy Eye is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #220 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 69%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sleepy Eye?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.7% and 43.8%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sleepy Eye?
New Ulm Medical Center in New Ulm, 12.3 miles in a straight line from Sleepy Eye’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sleepy Eye have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–12.2%), 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 Sleepy Eye 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 Sleepy Eye.
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.