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Aerial view of Winthrop, Minnesota 2023-06-11Photo: Schwerdf · CC BY 4.0
≈ C+Health Grade
Health in Winthrop · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Winthrop is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns

Winthrop differs from Minnesota on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Winthrop. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Winthrop

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Winthrop

1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 5.4% across Minnesota. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 5.9% across Minnesota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.2%, vs 3.1% across Minnesota. In all, Winthrop runs above Minnesota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Minnesota 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More Winthrop adults get no exercise

3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.1%), vs 22.3% across Minnesota. Habits ↓

More high blood pressure in Winthrop, and more people treating it

36.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Minnesota 31%), but 80.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.1% statewide. Checkups ↓

Winthrop is short on primary care and mental health care

Winthrop’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 Winthrop’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Winthrop’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winthrop is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 27%).

B−Self-rated health19.5% · MN 16% · U.S. 19.4%
B−Physical distress13.9% · MN 11.3% · U.S. 13%
A−Mental distress15.4% · MN 15.1% · U.S. 15.9%
CObesity39% · MN 33.5% · U.S. 32.9%
C+Diabetes12.7% · MN 10.1% · U.S. 12%
C+Smoking15.5% smoke · MN 13.1% · U.S. 11.8%
CExercise29.1% · MN 22.3% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 45%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $52K–$87K (10,461)Healthier than 57%

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). Winthrop’s median household income is $69,219; among the 10,461 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$87K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.

Where Winthrop compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.3% (U.S. 76.5%).

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Winthrop could be anywhere from D to A−. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Winthrop adults…

Winthrop runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Winthrop adults have COPD
Minnesota: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 6.2–8.9%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Why age matters here

Winthrop is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Minnesota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Winthrop as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Winthrop27%
Minnesota17%
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota

Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.

Get no exercise 29.1%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.5%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 16.8%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 15.5%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Winthrop, betterWinthrop, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Winthrop gets moving

0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Winthrop 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%
70%Colon screeningMN 69%
77%MammogramMN 79%
80%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Winthrop 9% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Getting care

Care in and near Winthrop

No hospital or community health center in Winthrop itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERRidgeview Sibley Medical CenterArlington · 14.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNew Ulm Medical Center★★★★★ · 16.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOpen Door Health CenterMankato · 32.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
14.3 mi
Ridgeview Sibley Medical Center
Arlington · not rated
ERRural critical access
16.8 mi
New Ulm Medical Center
New Ulm · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
19.2 mi
Glencoe Regional Health
Glencoe · not rated
ERRural critical access
22.7 mi
Minnesota Valley Health Center
Le Sueur · not rated
ERRural critical access
32.5 mi
Open Door Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Mankato
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
52.8 mi
Community Health Service Inc. - Willmar
Willmar · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Winthrop itself
✓ Dental careWinthrop is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Winthrop 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 Winthrop; ≈ 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).

Mind & connection

How Winthrop adults are doing

About the same as Minnesota on each measure.

3 in 10Winthrop adults feel lonely
28.4% · MN 31.2% · About the same as MN
1 in 5Winthrop adults lack social or emotional support
20.6% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Winthrop adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.5% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 6Winthrop adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Winthrop 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 8
Winthrop adults worry about having enough food
12.9% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 10
Winthrop adults worry about keeping their housing
9.8% · MN 9.3%
About the same as MN
1 in 16
Winthrop adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.3% · MN 5.7%
About the same as MN
1 in 13
Winthrop adults lack reliable transportation
7.6% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

9.8% of Winthrop adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Winthrop and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Alfsborg Township: 38.6%Cornish Township: 38.5%Transit Township: 39.3%Sibley Township: 39%Bernadotte Township: 34%Severance Township: 39.5%Lafayette Township: 34.4%Bismarck Township: 39.4%Dryden Township: 38.9%Penn Township: 42.6%Winthrop: 39%WinthropAlfsborg TownshipCornish TownshipTransit Township
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthy
Obesity
#6 of 11 towns on this map, healthiest first
Cornish Township38.5%
Alfsborg Township38.6%
Winthrop39%
Transit Township39.3%
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
WinthropC+39%12.7%15.5%CDC place
Alfsborg Township————
Cornish Township————
Transit Township————

Alfsborg Township, Cornish Township and Transit 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.

32.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.7%
Thinking or memory14.1%
Hearing9.4%
Errands alone8.7%
Vision5.2%
Dressing or bathing4.1%
Minnesota

Every CDC estimate for Winthrop

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Winthrop is better than Minnesota on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Minnesota figure falls inside Winthrop’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…WinthropMNU.S.vs MN
Overall health
Fair or poor health19.5%16.4–22.716%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.9%12–1611.3%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)15.4%13.5–17.515.1%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity39%31.6–4733.5%32.9%About the same
Diabetes12.7%10.8–14.710.1%12%Worse
High blood pressure36.5%32.5–40.831%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)35.7%31.6–4033.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis28.3%25.1–31.822.3%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.1%8.9–11.39.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10.5%9.4–11.78.5%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.2%7.1–9.35.9%6.4%Worse
COPD7.6%6.2–8.95.4%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.2%3.6–4.83.1%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.3%8.2–12.68.9%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.5%12.7–18.513.1%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work29.1%24.1–34.622.3%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking16.8%13.9–19.917.8%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours29.5%23.7–35.829.2%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)9%7.3–11.37.5%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year76.4%72.8–79.974.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year65.2%61.6–68.667.5%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.6%83.7–87.685.3%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)80.3%77.6–82.876.1%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)70.4%65.8–74.868.7%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)77.3%69.8–83.878.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression23.5%20.1–27.224.4%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely28.4%24–33.231.2%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support20.6%17.3–2421.5%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food12.9%10.3–15.711.4%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing9.8%8–11.79.3%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.3%5.3–7.45.7%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation7.6%6.4–8.87.1%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)9.8%7.7–12.17.9%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability32.8%28.1–37.627.4%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs15.7%13.1–18.311.4%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering14.1%12.1–16.312.8%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty9.4%8.2–10.66.8%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.2%4.4–64%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone8.7%7.4–10.27%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.1%3.5–4.83.1%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 Winthrop

Is Winthrop a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winthrop is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Winthrop?

CDC estimates 39% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 47%, against 33.5% across Minnesota and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Winthrop?

Ridgeview Sibley Medical Center in Arlington, 14.3 miles in a straight line from Winthrop’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Winthrop have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.3–11.3%), 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 Winthrop more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Winthrop.

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. 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.