Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Devils Lake is healthier than 85%
Devils Lake differs from North Dakota on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Devils Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Devils Lake
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Devils Lake
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.5%), vs 5.9% across North Dakota. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.3%), vs 3.1% across North Dakota. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.2%, vs 6.1% across North Dakota. In all, Devils Lake runs above North Dakota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Devils Lake
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (15%), vs 10.7% across North Dakota. Utility shut-off threats (7.9% vs 5.8%) and no reliable transportation (8.7% vs 6.5%) are higher too. 10.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 6.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Devils Lake adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.1%), vs 21.8% across North Dakota. Habits ↓
Devils Lake is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Devils Lake is healthier than 36%. Against the 3,401 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 85%. 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 North Dakota figure falls outside Devils Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Devils Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Devils Lake is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 74% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Devils Lake’s median household income is $43,220; among the 3,401 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 85%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most North Dakota towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Devils Lake is healthier than 5% of graded towns, against 36% nationally.
Where Devils Lake compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.2% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Devils Lake adults…
Devils Lake runs above ND on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.7% of Devils Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
1.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Devils Lake
1 hospital in Devils Lake, 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 Devils Lake; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Devils Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
How Devils Lake adults are doing
About the same as North Dakota on each measure.
3 in 10 Devils 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.
Devils Lake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devils Lake | C+ | 42% | 12.7% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Creel Township | C+ | 41.6% | 12.6% | 16.3% | ZIP 58301 |
| North Creel Township | — | — | — | — |
North Creel 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 Devils Lake adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Devils Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Devils Lake is better than North Dakota on 2 and worse on 17; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Devils Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Devils Lake | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.2%18.4–24.3 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.6–16.3 | 11.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.7–17.6 | 14.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42%35.3–49 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11–14.5 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%33.1–40.7 | 31.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%33.7–41.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.9%26.8–33.1 | 25.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12.1 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.5%7.3–9.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%14.9–21.8 | 10.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.2–19.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%23.8–32.9 | 21.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%14.7–20.8 | 21.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5%27.6–39.7 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.1–10.2 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.2%72.7–79.6 | 74.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.7%55.8–63.4 | 64.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.2%80–84.4 | 82.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.7–81.6 | 76.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.4%58.9–69.4 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%70.3–84 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.4%18.4–24.8 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.7%23.9–31.8 | 29.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%19–25 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15%12.8–17.4 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%9.8–13.1 | 8.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.8–9 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.7–9.9 | 6.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.7%8.9–12.8 | 6.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.2%29–37.6 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%13.3–17.7 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13–16.8 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–5.1 | 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 North Dakota figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Devils Lake
Is Devils Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Devils Lake is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Devils Lake?
CDC estimates 42% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.3% and 49%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Devils Lake?
CHI St. Alexius Health Devils Lake in Devils Lake, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Devils Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Devils Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–10.2%), against 7.3% across North Dakota.
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 Devils Lake 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 Devils Lake.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Dakota 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.