Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Wadena is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns
Wadena differs from Minnesota on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wadena. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wadena
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Wadena
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.8%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.9%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.6%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Wadena runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Wadena adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.9%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓
Wadena is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Wadena’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Wadena, and more people treating it
36.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 79.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓
Wadena is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wadena is healthier than 25%. Against the 7,748 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 45%. Health Grade ↓
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 Wadena’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Wadena’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wadena is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns, #266 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 44% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Wadena’s median household income is $56,080; among the 7,748 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 45%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Wadena is healthier than 2% of graded towns, against 25% nationally.
Where Wadena compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.9% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Wadena adults…
Wadena runs above MN on 8 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.
4.7 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Wadena
1 hospital in Wadena, 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 Wadena; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Wadena adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Wadena adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Wadena runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 Wadena 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% of Wadena adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Wadena and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wadena | C− | 38.6% | 13.5% | 18% | CDC place |
| Leaf River Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Wadena Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Compton Township | — | — | — | — |
Leaf River Township and Compton Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Wadena Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wadena adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wadena
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wadena is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Wadena’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wadena | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22%18.7–25.7 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.2–17.4 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.4–19.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.6%31.5–45.9 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.6–15.5 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%32.4–40.4 | 31% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31.2–39.1 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%26.3–32.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.2–11.4 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.4–10.4 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4–5.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.6–15.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%15.1–21.3 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.9%26.9–37.4 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.2–18.9 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.6%24.7–36.6 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%7.7–12.2 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%71.5–78.6 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.7%57–64.1 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%81–85.5 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.3–82.2 | 76.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%65.7–74.9 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.1%72.2–84.7 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.8%22.2–29.4 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%27.7–37.8 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%18.6–25.9 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.9%12.8–19.4 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.1%9.2–13.3 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%7.8–10.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13%10.4–15.9 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.7%33–42.8 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%15.3–21 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.2–18.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.2–7 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%9–12.1 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 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 Wadena
Is Wadena a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wadena is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #266 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wadena?
CDC estimates 38.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.5% and 45.9%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wadena?
Astera Health in Wadena, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Wadena’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wadena have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–12.2%), 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 Wadena more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wadena.
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.