Crow Wing State Park · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Minnesota, Sylvan Township is healthier than 36% of graded towns
Sylvan Township trails Minnesota on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56473, 56401. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sylvan Township
Minnesota sets a high bar
Sylvan Township is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, but only 36% of the 271 Minnesota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD and heart disease run high in Sylvan Township
1 in 16 adults have COPD (6.4%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 15 adults have heart disease (6.8%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 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 Sylvan Township’s likely range; Sylvan Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 56473, 56401, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Sylvan Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sylvan Township is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, #172 of 271 in Minnesota. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 75% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 43%).
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). Sylvan Township’s median household income is $95,354; among the 9,243 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$119K), it’s healthier than 56%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Sylvan Township adults…
Sylvan Township runs above MN on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Sylvan Township
No hospital or community health center in Sylvan Township 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 Sylvan Township; ≈ 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.
3.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Sylvan Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Sylvan Township adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 4 Sylvan Township 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.
8% of Sylvan Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Sylvan Township and the towns around it
Sylvan Township’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Township | B+ | 36.2% | 11% | 15.5% | ZIP codes |
| Rosing Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Pillager | — | — | — | — | |
| Fort Ripley Township | B+ | 37.7% | 10.8% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
| Scandia Valley Township | B− | 37.4% | 13.3% | 16% | ZIP codes |
| Baxter | B+ | 36.6% | 10.8% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| Fairview Township | — | — | — | — | |
| May Township | — | — | — | — |
Rosing Township, Pillager and May Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Fairview Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sylvan Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sylvan Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sylvan Township is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Sylvan Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sylvan Township | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.6%14.5–19 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%11.1–14.1 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.8–17.5 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.2%30.8–41.9 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11%9.6–12.5 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.3%30.1–36.8 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%30.9–37.8 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.9%22.3–27.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.3 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.4%5.5–7.2 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.3%7.6–11.2 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%13.3–18 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24%20.5–27.8 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.3%16.3–22.3 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.9%29.2–39 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.6–8.1 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%71.6–78.3 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68%64.8–70.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%84.1–87.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.7–80.2 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68%63.7–72.1 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.5%73.5–84.7 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.8–27.2 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27%23.1–31.2 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.8%16.9–22.7 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.5%8.8–12.4 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.5%7.2–9.9 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.8–6.5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.8%5.9–7.6 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%6.6–9.5 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.2%25.7–32.8 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.7%10.9–14.4 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13%11.5–14.6 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 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 Sylvan Township
Is Sylvan Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sylvan Township is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #172 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 56%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sylvan Township?
CDC estimates 36.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.8% and 41.9%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sylvan Township?
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd, 9.4 miles in a straight line from Sylvan Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sylvan Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.1%), 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 Sylvan Township 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 Sylvan Township.
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.