Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0Within Minnesota, Willmar is healthier than 5% of graded towns
Willmar trails Minnesota on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Willmar. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Willmar
Dental care lags in Willmar
58.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.5% across Minnesota. Among those 65 and older, 15.3% have lost all their teeth (Minnesota 8.9%). Willmar’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Willmar
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.4%), vs 11.4% across Minnesota. Utility shut-off threats (9.1% vs 5.7%) and housing insecurity (14.5% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 15.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 7.9% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Willmar is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Willmar’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 ↓
Willmar is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Willmar is healthier than 36%. Against the 9,474 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 53%. 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 Willmar’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Willmar’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willmar is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, #258 of 271 in Minnesota. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 61% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Willmar’s median household income is $62,280; among the 9,474 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Willmar adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.3% of Willmar adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.
Care in and near Willmar
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Willmar, 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 Willmar; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Willmar adults…
Willmar runs above MN on 6 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.
7.7 miles of trails across 21 parks and preserves
How Willmar adults are doing
About the same as Minnesota on each measure.
1 in 3 Willmar 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.
Willmar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willmar | C+ | 42.6% | 12.7% | 16% | CDC place |
| Willmar Township | — | — | — | — | |
| St. Johns Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Dovre Township | B− | 41.4% | 12.3% | 15% | ZIP codes |
Willmar Township and St. Johns Township: 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 Willmar adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Willmar
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Willmar is better than Minnesota on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Willmar’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Willmar | MN | U.S. | vs MN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.2%18.7–23.8 | 16% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.1–15.3 | 11.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.7–18.3 | 15.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.6%35.8–49.6 | 33.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11.1–14.3 | 10.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%29.1–36.2 | 31% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.5%28.8–36.3 | 33.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.6%21.1–26.3 | 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 | 8%7.3–8.9 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.3–7.8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7%6.2–7.9 | 5.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.3%12.4–18.1 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%14–18.2 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%25.1–33.4 | 22.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14–20 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34%28.5–39.7 | 29.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14%12.2–15.9 | 7.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.3%70.6–77.9 | 74.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%55.3–62.3 | 67.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.7%79.6–83.7 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.4–79.4 | 76.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.9%61–70.4 | 68.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.3%70–83.3 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.5–27.2 | 24.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%28.2–37.6 | 31.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.9%19.8–26.5 | 21.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.4%17–22.1 | 11.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.5%12.7–16.5 | 9.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%8–10.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11%9.8–12.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.3%13.4–17.5 | 7.9% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33%29.2–36.9 | 27.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%12.9–16.6 | 11.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.4–17.8 | 12.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–5 | 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 Willmar
Is Willmar a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willmar is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #258 of 271 in Minnesota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 53%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Willmar?
CDC estimates 42.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.8% and 49.6%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Willmar?
Centracare- Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Willmar’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Willmar have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.2–15.9%), 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 Willmar 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 Willmar.
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.