Amblard, Emile, Guest House · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Waconia is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Waconia beats Minnesota on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waconia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waconia
Fewer Waconia adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Minnesota. 1 in 13 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Waconia has a top-rated hospital
Ridgeview Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
COPD and diabetes are less common in Waconia
Waconia runs below Minnesota on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.3% vs 5.4%), diabetes (8.1% vs 10.1%) and stroke (2.5% vs 3.1%). Conditions ↓
Waconia is an active town
Only 18.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 22.3% 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 Waconia’s likely range.
What’s behind Waconia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waconia is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #32 of 271 in Minnesota. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 74%.
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). Waconia’s median household income is $111,031; among the 6,996 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$139K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.1% of Waconia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Care in and near Waconia
1 hospital in Waconia, 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 Waconia; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Waconia adults…
Waconia runs below MN on 6 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.
1 mile of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Waconia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Waconia adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Waconia 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.
Waconia and the towns around it
Waconia’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waconia | A | 32.4% | 8.1% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Waconia Township | A | 33.1% | 8.5% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
| Laketown Township | A | 31.7% | 8.1% | 11.3% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waconia adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waconia
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waconia is better than Minnesota on 14 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Waconia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waconia | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.5%10.7–14.4 | 16% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.3–15.8 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%27.2–38 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.1%7–9.3 | 10.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.2%23.1–29.4 | 31% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.4%26–32.9 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.9%18.4–23.4 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.3%3.6–4.9 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%5.9–9.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.5%9.5–13.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.8%15.6–22.2 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20%16.9–23.2 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.2%22.8–31.9 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4.5–6.5 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.9%71.4–78.2 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.5%69.4–75.3 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%85.2–88.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.8%71.6–77.8 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.2%62.8–71.3 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.1%75.2–86 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.7–27.1 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.3%24.2–32.6 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.2%16.3–22.4 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.8%6.4–9.6 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7%5.8–8.4 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.5%3.8–5.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.6–6.2 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.1%4.1–6.4 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.6%20.4–27.1 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.1%7.8–10.6 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.5–12.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.7–3.5 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.2–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Waconia
Is Waconia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waconia is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #32 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waconia?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 38%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waconia?
Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, 0.1 miles in a straight line from Waconia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waconia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–6.5%), 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 Waconia more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waconia.
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.