Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Walnut Lake Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
District No. 40 SchoolDistrict No. 40 School · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0
–Not graded
Health in Walnut Lake Township · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Walnut Lake Township residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Walnut Lake Township, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56097, 56025, 56014. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Walnut Lake Township

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Walnut Lake Township

1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.1%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Walnut Lake Township runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

More Walnut Lake Township adults get no exercise

3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.9%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓

Smoking is more common in Walnut Lake Township

1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.4%), 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 Walnut Lake Township’s likely range; Walnut Lake Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 56097, 56025, 56014, which may reach past town lines.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Walnut Lake Township adults…

Walnut Lake Township runs above MN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Walnut Lake Township adults have COPD
Minnesota: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 7–9.4%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota

Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.

Get no exercise 28.9%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.5%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 16.9%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 17.4%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Walnut Lake Township, betterWalnut Lake Township, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Walnut Lake Township gets moving

1.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near Walnut Lake Township

No hospital or community health center in Walnut Lake Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERUnited Hospital DistrictBlue Earth · 15.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyUnited Hospital District★★★★★ · 15.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOpen Door Health CenterMankato · 31.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
15.4 mi
United Hospital District
Blue Earth · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
22.8 mi
Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin
Albert Lea · ★★★★★
ER
28.9 mi
Mayo Clinic Health System - Waseca
Waseca · not rated
ERRural critical access
31.5 mi
Open Door Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Mankato
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
≈32.1 mi
Mayo Clinic Health System - Mankato
Mankato · ★★★★★
ER
49.8 mi
Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
3 sites · nearest in Mason City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careWalnut Lake Township is a federal shortage area.Faribault West/Freeborn · need score 11 of 25
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Walnut Lake Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Walnut Lake Township itself

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 Walnut Lake 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Walnut Lake Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.

76%Yearly checkupMN 75%
65%Dentist visitMN 68%
86%Cholesterol checkMN 85%
68%Colon screeningMN 69%
77%MammogramMN 79%
80%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Walnut Lake Township 8.6% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How Walnut Lake Township adults are doing

About the same as Minnesota on each measure.

3 in 10Walnut Lake Township adults feel lonely
30.7% · MN 31.2% · About the same as MN
1 in 5Walnut Lake Township adults lack social or emotional support
21.2% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Walnut Lake Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
24% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 6Walnut Lake Township adults are in frequent mental distress
15.7% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Walnut Lake Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 7
Walnut Lake Township adults worry about having enough food
13.5% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 10
Walnut Lake Township adults worry about keeping their housing
10.1% · MN 9.3%
About the same as MN
1 in 15
Walnut Lake Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.8% · MN 5.7%
Worse than MN
1 in 13
Walnut Lake Township adults lack reliable transportation
8% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

10.8% of Walnut Lake Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Walnut Lake Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Minnesota Lake Township: 37.6%Brush Creek Township: 37.7%Barber Township: 37.8%Clark Township: 38.5%Lura Township: 37.5%Dunbar Township: 38.5%Minnesota Lake: 36.8%Danville Township: 36.5%Seely Township: 37.6%Emerald Township: 37.2%Foster Township: 38.3%Prescott Township: 37.2%Blue Earth City Township: 37.2%Carlston Township: 36.9%Walnut Lake Township: 38.4%Walnut Lake TownshipMinnesota Lake TownshipBrush Creek TownshipBarber TownshipClark TownshipUnited Hospital District · Blue Earth · 15.4 mi · 5★ MedicareH
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#13 of 15 towns on this map, healthiest first
Minnesota Lake Township37.6%
Brush Creek Township37.7%
Barber Township37.8%
Walnut Lake Township38.4%
Clark Township38.5%
MN33.5%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Minnesota Lake Township————
Brush Creek Township————
Barber Township————
Clark Township————

Minnesota Lake Township, Brush Creek Township, Barber Township and Clark Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

34.3%

of Walnut Lake Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.2%
Thinking or memory14.4%
Hearing9.5%
Errands alone8.9%
Vision5.3%
Dressing or bathing4.5%
Minnesota

Questions about health in Walnut Lake Township

Why doesn’t Walnut Lake Township have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Walnut Lake Township.

What hospital is closest to Walnut Lake Township?

United Hospital District in Blue Earth, 15.4 miles in a straight line from Walnut Lake Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Walnut Lake Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.