Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Minnesota, St. Cloud is healthier than 16% of graded towns
St. Cloud differs from Minnesota on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Cloud. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Cloud
St. Cloud is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, St. Cloud is healthier than 49%. Against the 9,277 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 73%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in St. Cloud
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (18.6%), vs 11.4% across Minnesota. Utility shut-off threats (9.4% vs 5.7%) and no reliable transportation (11.1% vs 7.1%) are higher too. 15.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
St. Cloud is short on primary care and mental health care
St. Cloud’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
More St. Cloud adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (26%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. There are 16 miles of trails across 47 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
St. Cloud has a top-rated hospital
Centracare - St. Cloud Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 St. Cloud’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind St. Cloud’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Cloud is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns, #227 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 74% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). St. Cloud’s median household income is $61,374; among the 9,277 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 73%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where St. Cloud compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7.2% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.5% of St. Cloud adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Care in and near St. Cloud
2 hospitals in St. Cloud, 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 St. Cloud; ≈ 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.
16 miles of trails across 47 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 St. Cloud adults…
St. Cloud runs below MN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Cloud adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How St. Cloud adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, St. Cloud runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 St. Cloud 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.
St. Cloud and the towns around it
St. Cloud’s Health Grade ranks 8th of 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Cloud | B− | 38.9% | 10.5% | 16% | CDC place |
| Minden Township | B | 40.9% | 10% | 15.5% | ZIP codes |
| Haven Township | C | 43.6% | 11.6% | 18.5% | ZIP 56304 |
| Waite Park | C | 39.8% | 12.4% | 17% | CDC place |
| Le Sauk Township | A− | 35% | 8.7% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| St. Augusta | A− | 35.9% | 9.7% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Sauk Rapids | B+ | 40.4% | 9.5% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Sartell | A | 34.7% | 8.4% | 12.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Cloud adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Cloud
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Cloud is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside St. Cloud’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Cloud | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%17.4–21.1 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.5–13.8 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.6–19.9 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.9%34.9–43 | 33.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.5–11.6 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.4%27.9–32.8 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.5%29–34 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.9%19.1–22.8 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.8–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.6–7.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.5–6.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.3%3.1–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%11.5–15.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%14.3–17.7 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26%23.2–28.8 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%15.9–20.5 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.3%28.7–36 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.5%70.7–76.1 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.2%59.5–64.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.6%77.9–81.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.2%71–75.3 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%64.8–71.7 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%73.9–83.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.9%23.3–28.5 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%29.4–36.2 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.6%21–26.2 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.6%16.6–20.6 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.9%12.4–15.5 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.1%10.1–12.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.5%13.9–17.1 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%27.6–33.2 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%11.1–13.5 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%15.1–18.1 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.2–7.4 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5–5.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.6–10.3 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.8–4.4 | 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 St. Cloud
Is St. Cloud a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Cloud is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #227 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 73%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Cloud?
CDC estimates 38.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.9% and 43%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Cloud?
Centracare - St. Cloud Hospital in Saint Cloud, 3.4 miles in a straight line from St. Cloud’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Cloud have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–10.5%), 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 St. Cloud more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in St. Cloud.
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.