On CDC estimates, Waterville is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns
Waterville trails Minnesota on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waterville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waterville
Heart disease and cancer run high in Waterville
1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.1%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. 1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.2%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. In all, Waterville runs above Minnesota on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Waterville is short on primary care and mental health care
Waterville’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
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 Waterville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Waterville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterville is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 83% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 49%).
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). Waterville’s median household income is $76,406; among the 10,816 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$96K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Waterville adults…
Waterville runs above MN on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Waterville
No hospital or community health center in Waterville 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 Waterville; ≈ 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.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Waterville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
How Waterville adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
3 in 10 Waterville 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.
7.2% of Waterville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Waterville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville | B+ | 35.5% | 11.6% | 14.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waterville adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waterville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waterville is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Waterville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waterville | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%13.8–20.4 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.7–14.7 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.8–17.1 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%28.2–43.2 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6%9.8–13.6 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.7%30.7–39.2 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%31–39.9 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3%23–29.9 | 22.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.4 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9–11.3 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.2–8.2 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.5%5.3–7.8 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.1–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%8.9–13.5 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%12–18.2 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.1%18.5–28.3 | 22.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15–22 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%26.2–38.1 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.5–9.5 | 7.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.2%72.1–80 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.8%67.4–73.9 | 67.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84–88.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76–82.2 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.6–72.9 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%72.5–85 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.1–27.6 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%24.4–35.1 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%16.6–24.3 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.3%7.8–13.2 | 11.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.2%6.5–10.3 | 9.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.2–6.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.2–7.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.2%5.3–9.4 | 7.9% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.3%23.9–33.5 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%10.8–15.7 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%10.8–15.2 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%6.9–9.1 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.5–4.9 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.2–8.7 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%2.9–4.1 | 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 Waterville
Is Waterville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterville is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waterville?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 43.2%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waterville?
Mayo Clinic Health System - Waseca in Waseca, 10.6 miles in a straight line from Waterville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Waterville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–9.5%), 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 Waterville 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 Waterville.
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.