Photo: Andrew Filer · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Thompson is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Thompson differs from North Dakota on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Thompson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Thompson
Binge drinking is the habit Thompson doesn’t win on
24.8% of adults binge drink, vs 21.3% across North Dakota, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Fewer Thompson adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Dakota. 1 in 15 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke and COPD are less common in Thompson
Thompson runs below North Dakota on stroke (2.3% vs 3.1%), COPD (4.5% vs 5.9%) and heart disease (4.7% vs 6.1%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (North Dakota 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Thompson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Thompson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thompson is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 95% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 52%.
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). Thompson’s median household income is $118,281; among the 5,987 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($89K–$148K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
3.9% of Thompson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Out of every 100 Thompson adults…
Thompson runs below ND on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Thompson residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Dakota. Heart disease, COPD and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Thompson
No hospital or community health center in Thompson 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 Thompson; ≈ 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 Thompson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
How Thompson adults are doing
About the same as North Dakota on each measure.
1 in 4 Thompson 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.
Thompson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson | A | 35.9% | 8.6% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Walle Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Allendale Township | — | — | — | — |
Walle Township and Allendale 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 Thompson adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Thompson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Thompson is better than North Dakota on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Thompson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Thompson | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.7%10.3–15.3 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%8.6–12 | 11.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11–15.2 | 14.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.9%30.9–41.4 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.3–10.1 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 28.7%25.6–32.2 | 31.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%31.1–38.4 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.4%21.7–27.5 | 25.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.1–5.5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.5%3.6–5.5 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2–2.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.9–9 | 10.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%7.9–13.3 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.8%14.3–21.7 | 21.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 24.8%21.4–28.6 | 21.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.1%27.6–36.7 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%3.7–6.4 | 7.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%71.7–78.5 | 74.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.8%67.7–73.9 | 64.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.5–88.8 | 82.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%71.8–78.5 | 76.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.6%62.2–70.7 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.7%69.7–82.8 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%19.1–25.4 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.4%23.7–31.4 | 29.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.7%15.7–21.8 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.7%5–8.8 | 10.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.7%5.1–8.4 | 8.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.4%3.5–5.4 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.6–5.4 | 6.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.9%2.7–5.3 | 6.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.9%18.3–25.8 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.4%6.8–10.2 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.2%8.4–12.2 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.8 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.4–3.3 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.2%4.3–6.3 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Thompson
Is Thompson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thompson is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Thompson?
CDC estimates 35.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 41.4%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Thompson?
Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, 9.5 miles in a straight line from Thompson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Thompson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.7–6.4%), 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 Thompson 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 Thompson.
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.