Charles P. Noyes Cottage · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, White Bear Lake is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
White Bear Lake differs from Minnesota on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for White Bear Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake keeps up with checkups
It beats Minnesota on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (71.2% vs 67.5%) and cholesterol checks (86.9% vs 85.3%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in White Bear Lake
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 8.5% across Minnesota. Conditions ↓
White Bear Lake is an active town
Only 18.1% 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 White Bear Lake’s likely range.
What’s behind White Bear Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White Bear Lake is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #69 of 271 in Minnesota. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 91% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 78%.
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). White Bear Lake’s median household income is $83,554; among the 10,491 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$104K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of White Bear Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Out of every 100 White Bear Lake adults…
White Bear Lake runs below MN on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota
Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.
3.9 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Care in and near White Bear Lake
No hospital or community health center in White Bear Lake 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 White Bear Lake; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How White Bear Lake adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, White Bear Lake runs above Minnesota.
1 in 3 White Bear Lake 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.
6.3% of White Bear Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
White Bear Lake and the towns around it
White Bear Lake’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Bear Lake | A | 31.1% | 10% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| White Bear Township | A | 30.8% | 10% | 10.7% | ZIP codes |
| Mahtomedi | A | 31.7% | 10.2% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Vadnais Heights | A− | 31.5% | 10.6% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Gem Lake | — | — | — | — | |
| Maplewood | A− | 31.1% | 11% | 12.5% | CDC place |
Gem Lake: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of White Bear Lake adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for White Bear Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, White Bear Lake is better than Minnesota on 10 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside White Bear Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | White Bear Lake | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16%14.4–17.9 | 16% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.5–13 | 11.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.7–16.7 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.1%28.1–34.3 | 33.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.9–11.2 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.2%29–33.6 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%32.9–37.9 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%21.8–25.7 | 22.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%9.1–11.2 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.2–10.9 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.7–6 | 5.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.4–7.9 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3%9.9–13 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.1%16–20.3 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%14.5–18.4 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.8%24.3–29.3 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%5.2–7.2 | 7.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%73.7–78.3 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.2%68.9–73.4 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.5–88.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%75.2–79.8 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.7%70.9–76.2 | 68.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%76.9–84.4 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%24.3–29.1 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35%32.2–37.9 | 31.2% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%19.9–24.4 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 11.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%7–9.1 | 9.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%5.3–7.2 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6%25.2–30.3 | 27.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.8%10.5–13.3 | 11.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12%10.8–13.5 | 12.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 6.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.3–4 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.3 | 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 White Bear Lake
Is White Bear Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White Bear Lake is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #69 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in White Bear Lake?
CDC estimates 31.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.1% and 34.3%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to White Bear Lake?
M Health Fairview St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, 2.8 miles in a straight line from White Bear Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in White Bear Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.2%), 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 White Bear Lake 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 White Bear Lake.
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.