Photo: Skvader · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Minnesota, St. Joseph is healthier than 27% of graded towns
St. Joseph differs from Minnesota on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Joseph. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Joseph
Minnesota sets a high bar
St. Joseph is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, but only 27% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in St. Joseph
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (21%), vs 15.1% across Minnesota. Depression is above the state too: 30.6%, vs 24.4% across Minnesota. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in St. Joseph
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17%), vs 11.4% across Minnesota. No reliable transportation (10.7% vs 7.1%) and utility shut-off threats (7.9% vs 5.7%) are higher too. 13.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and high blood pressure are less common in St. Joseph
St. Joseph runs below Minnesota on cancer (6.6% vs 8.5%) and high blood pressure (25.7% vs 31%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%). Conditions ↓
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. Joseph’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind St. Joseph’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Joseph is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #198 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 93% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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. Joseph’s median household income is $74,946; among the 10,851 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 70%, about where its income would put it.
How St. Joseph adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, St. Joseph runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 St. Joseph 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.
13.3% of St. Joseph adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Out of every 100 St. Joseph adults…
St. Joseph runs below MN on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of St. Joseph residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Arthritis, cancer and diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near St. Joseph
No hospital or community health center in St. Joseph 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. Joseph; ≈ 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.
6.1 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Joseph adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
St. Joseph and the towns around it
St. Joseph’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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. Joseph | B | 35.6% | 8.7% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| St. Joseph Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Waite Park | C | 39.8% | 12.4% | 17% | CDC place |
| St. Wendel Township | B+ | 35.6% | 9.7% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
| St. Cloud | B− | 38.9% | 10.5% | 16% | CDC place |
| Le Sauk Township | A− | 35% | 8.7% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
St. Joseph Township: 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. Joseph adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Joseph
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Joseph is better than Minnesota on 5 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside St. Joseph’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Joseph | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%15.2–21.2 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.8–14.2 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21%18.3–23.6 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.6%30.9–40.3 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 10.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.7%23.1–28.3 | 31% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.6%25.9–31.4 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19%17–21.1 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.3 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.7–6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.9%5–6.9 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12%9.8–14.7 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%11.9–17.2 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.4%20.6–28.5 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.6–21.3 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.5%27.4–36 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.5–10.5 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.8%69.2–76.2 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.7%60.5–67 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.5%74–80.6 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.9%69.3–74.5 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%64.3–72.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.6%72.3–83.8 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.6%27.1–34.2 | 24.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%30.9–39.5 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.8–25.4 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17%13.5–21.2 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.4%10.2–14.9 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.6–9.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.7%8.8–12.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.3%10.4–16.8 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.4%26.5–34.7 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.6–13 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%15.7–21.7 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%8.7–12.1 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.2–4.2 | 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. Joseph
Is St. Joseph a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Joseph is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #198 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 70%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Joseph?
CDC estimates 35.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 40.3%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Joseph?
Centracare - St. Cloud Hospital in Saint Cloud, 6.4 miles in a straight line from St. Joseph’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Joseph have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–10.5%), 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. Joseph 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. Joseph.
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.