Photo: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant) · CC BY-SA 2.5Within North Dakota, Wahpeton is healthier than 23% of graded towns
Wahpeton trails North Dakota on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wahpeton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wahpeton
Making ends meet is harder in Wahpeton
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (13.3%), vs 10.7% across North Dakota. No reliable transportation (8% vs 6.5%) is higher too. 8.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 6.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD runs high in Wahpeton
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.2%), vs 5.9% across North Dakota. Conditions ↓
Wahpeton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wahpeton is healthier than 60%. Against the 9,558 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 83%. 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 Wahpeton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Wahpeton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wahpeton is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #18 of 23 in North Dakota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 73% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 41%).
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). Wahpeton’s median household income is $62,750; among the 9,558 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.9% of Wahpeton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Out of every 100 Wahpeton adults…
Wahpeton runs above ND on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Wahpeton
No hospital or community health center in Wahpeton 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 Wahpeton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
1.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Wahpeton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
How Wahpeton adults are doing
About the same as North Dakota on each measure.
1 in 3 Wahpeton 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.
Wahpeton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahpeton | B | 37.3% | 10.6% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Center Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Dwight Township | — | — | — | — |
Center Township and Dwight 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 Wahpeton adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wahpeton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wahpeton is better than North Dakota on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Wahpeton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wahpeton | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%16.2–21.9 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.2–14.6 | 11.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–18.1 | 14.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%30.7–44.3 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.1–12.2 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.5%29.9–37.3 | 31.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%29.8–37.4 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%23.7–29.5 | 25.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–12 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.3–8.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%6.2–8.2 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.7%14–19.7 | 10.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%12.5–17.4 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.5%21.4–30 | 21.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 21.5%17.9–25.3 | 21.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%27.4–37.9 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%6.6–9.7 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.1%68.9–76.8 | 74.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.7%57.3–64.1 | 64.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79%76.3–81.6 | 82.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%73.6–78.5 | 76.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%63.1–72 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.1%73.1–84.5 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%19.7–26.8 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%26.8–36.3 | 29.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18.2–25 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%11–15.8 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%8.7–12.1 | 8.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%5.9–8.1 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%7–9.2 | 6.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.9%7.2–10.8 | 6.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32%27.8–36.3 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.4%11.5–15.4 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.1–17.3 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.5–9.5 | 7.8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.4–5.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 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 Wahpeton
Is Wahpeton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wahpeton is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #18 of 23 in North Dakota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wahpeton?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.7% and 44.3%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wahpeton?
St. Francis Medical Center in Breckenridge, 5.6 miles in a straight line from Wahpeton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Wahpeton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–9.7%), 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 Wahpeton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wahpeton.
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.