Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Watertown is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Watertown beats Minnesota on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Watertown. How CDC estimates town health
What’s behind Watertown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watertown is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #124 of 271 in Minnesota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 92% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 47%).
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). Watertown’s median household income is $99,671; among the 8,644 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$125K), it’s healthier than 67%, about where its income would put it.
Most Minnesota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Watertown is healthier than 54% of graded towns, against 76% nationally.
Out of every 100 Watertown adults…
Watertown runs below MN on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Watertown residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, stroke and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Watertown
No hospital or community health center in Watertown 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 Watertown; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Watertown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Watertown adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Watertown 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.
7.6% of Watertown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Watertown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | A− | 35.2% | 8.9% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Watertown Township | A− | 34.7% | 9.2% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Watertown adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Watertown
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Watertown is better than Minnesota on 5 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Watertown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Watertown | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15%12.7–17.4 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%9.9–13 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.4–18.4 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%29.6–40.8 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.6–10.1 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27%23.8–30.2 | 31% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.5%26.2–33 | 33.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.3%18.8–23.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.9–8.3 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.6–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.3%4.5–6.1 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.7–10.2 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.1%12.6–17.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.8%18.1–25.5 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.3%17.2–23.6 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.5%24–33.3 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.5–8.3 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.3%69.6–76.7 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.6%67.5–73.6 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%81.9–86.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.3–76.6 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.5–71.5 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%71.8–84 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26%22.6–29.4 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%25.9–34.8 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18.1–24.7 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.8%8.7–13.2 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.5–10.8 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.9–6.7 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.8–8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.6%6–9.4 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.6%22.8–30.3 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.3%8.7–11.9 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%11.6–15.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.7 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6–7.9 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.4 | 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 Watertown
Is Watertown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watertown is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #124 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 67%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Watertown?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 40.8%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Watertown?
Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia, 8.5 miles in a straight line from Watertown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Watertown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–8.3%), 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 Watertown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Watertown.
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.