H. G. Leathers House · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Minnesota, St. Francis is healthier than 25% of graded towns
St. Francis differs from Minnesota on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Francis. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Francis
Minnesota sets a high bar
St. Francis is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, but only 25% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in St. Francis
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (18.2%), vs 15.1% across Minnesota. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 25.4%, vs 21.5% across Minnesota. Mind & connection ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, St. Francis’ lead shrinks
St. Francis is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, but 27% of the 6,976 towns with similar household incomes ($83K–$139K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
St. Francis is behind on routine checkups
It trails Minnesota on three of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (69.8% vs 74.8%), cholesterol checks (82.2% vs 85.3%) and mammograms (72.1% vs 78.5%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in St. Francis
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.7%), 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 St. Francis’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind St. Francis’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Francis is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, #203 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 87% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 30%).
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. Francis’ median household income is $111,198; among the 6,976 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$139K), it’s healthier than 27%, less than its income alone would suggest.
How St. Francis adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, St. Francis runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 St. Francis 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Francis adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
3.3 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 St. Francis adults…
St. Francis runs below MN on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of St. Francis residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near St. Francis
No hospital or community health center in St. Francis 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 St. Francis; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.6% of St. Francis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
St. Francis and the towns around it
St. Francis’s Health Grade ranks 7th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis | B | 37.6% | 9.4% | 16.7% | CDC place |
| Athens Township | B+ | 32.9% | 9.6% | 16.7% | ZIP 55040 |
| Oak Grove | A− | 35.3% | 10% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Stanford Township | B+ | 35.6% | 9.4% | 16.3% | ZIP codes |
| Bethel | — | — | — | — | |
| Nowthen | A− | 36.2% | 10.3% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| East Bethel | A− | 35.9% | 9.7% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Livonia Township | B+ | 39.2% | 9% | 14.8% | ZIP codes |
Bethel: 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 St. Francis adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Francis
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Francis is better than Minnesota on 5 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside St. Francis’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Francis | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.6%14.5–18.8 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.6–13.4 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.3–20.1 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.6%33.7–41.7 | 33.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.2–10.6 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 28.4%25.9–31.1 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30%27.4–32.7 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.1%18.1–22.2 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.1%7.4–11 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.3–19.1 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%22–28.3 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.3%17.7–23.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.6%28.3–35 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%6.6–9.7 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.8%66.6–72.9 | 74.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.6%62.8–68.3 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.2%80–84.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.1%70.1–76 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.9%62.3–69.2 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.1%66.6–77.3 | 78.5% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.9%25–30.9 | 24.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%29.6–36.6 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.4%22.4–28.7 | 21.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.6%10.5–14.9 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.3–12.9 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.6–7.7 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.8–9 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%7–10.3 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.9%25.8–32 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%9.2–12.1 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%13.7–17.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.6–8.4 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 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 St. Francis
Is St. Francis a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Francis is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #203 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Francis?
CDC estimates 37.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.7% and 41.7%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Francis?
Cambridge Medical Center in Cambridge, 14.3 miles in a straight line from St. Francis’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Francis have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–9.7%), 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. Francis 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 St. Francis.
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.