Health · Backus

Backus, MN health

Backus differs from Minnesota on 16 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (81.7% vs 76.1%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (9.1% vs 5.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Backus
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 291 people are less certain, so we show Backus's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Backus compares with Minnesota

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Backus adults…

40 of every 100 Backus adults have high blood pressure
Minnesota: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 36.5–44.1%

Bars show Backus; the black tick is Minnesota. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Backus, betterBackus, worseToo close to callMinnesota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 29.8% Backus
MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.7% Backus
MN 29.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.7% Backus
MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.9% Backus
MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Backus adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Minnesota.

77%
Yearly checkup
MN 75%
64%
Dentist visit
MN 68%
86%
Cholesterol check
MN 85%
71%
Colon screening
MN 69%
79%
Mammogram
MN 79%
82%
Taking BP meds
MN 76%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Backus 8% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How Backus adults are doing

1 in 4Backus adults feel lonely
27.4% · Minnesota 31.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Backus adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.6% · Minnesota 24.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Backus adults lack social or emotional support
21% · Minnesota 21.5% · too close to call
1 in 6Backus adults are in frequent mental distress
16% · Minnesota 15.1% · too close to call
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
Backus adults worry about having enough food
13.2% · MN 11.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Backus adults worry about keeping their housing
9.3% · MN 9.3% · about the same
1 in 15
Backus adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.5% · MN 5.7% · about the same
1 in 12
Backus adults lack reliable transportation
8.1% · MN 7.1% · about the same

10.4% of Backus adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Disability

Living with a disability

36.1%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.7%
Thinking or memory14.5%
Hearing10.5%
Errands alone9.3%
Vision5.6%
Dressing or bathing4.7%

Black tick: Minnesota. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Backus

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

HNearest ERSt. Josephs Area Health ServicesPark Rapids · 26.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyEssentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center★★★★★ · 35 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCook Area Health ServicesNorthome · 73.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
26.7 mi
St. Josephs Area Health Services
Park Rapids · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
34.3 mi
Lakewood Health System
Staples · not rated
ERRural critical access
35 mi
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center
Brainerd · ★★★★★
ER
35.7 mi
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center
Crosby · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
73.5 mi
Cook Area Health Services
6 sites · nearest in Northome
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
99.5 mi
Lake Superior Community Health Center White Pine Clinic
Carlton · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
! Primary careBackus's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careBackus's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthBackus's county is a federal shortage area.Region 5 Mental Health Service Area · need score 16 of 25

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 Backus. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Backus
MeasureBackusMarginMinnesota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure40.3%36.5–44.1%31%worse
High cholesterol39.1%35.2–42.9%33.4%worse
Obesity37.4%31.4–43.2%33.5%about the same
Arthritis30.3%27.1–33.6%22.3%worse
Depression23.6%20.3–27%24.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)14.9%12.2–17.9%8.9%worse
Asthma10.4%9.1–11.7%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11.3%10.1–12.4%8.5%worse
Diabetes15%13–17.2%10.1%worse
COPD9.1%7.5–10.8%5.4%worse
Heart disease9.7%8.5–11%5.9%worse
Stroke4.8%4.1–5.4%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.9%14.8–21.2%13.1%worse
Binge drink16.7%13.9–19.5%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise29.8%25–35.2%22.3%worse
Sleep under 7 hours35.7%30.3–41.2%29.2%worse
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup77.1%73.7–80.2%74.8%about the same
Dentist visit63.7%60.3–67.1%67.5%worse
Cholesterol check85.7%83.6–87.6%85.3%about the same
Colon screening71%66.6–75.2%68.7%about the same
Mammogram79.3%72.6–84.9%78.5%about the same
Taking BP meds81.7%79.1–84%76.1%better
No health insurance8%6.3–10.3%7.5%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely27.4%23.1–32%31.2%about the same
Lack emotional support21%17.7–24.6%21.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress16%14–18.1%15.1%about the same
Fair or poor health21.6%18.2–25.3%16%worse
Frequent physical distress15.3%13.2–17.5%11.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity13.2%10.5–16%11.4%about the same
Housing insecurity9.3%7.7–11.1%9.3%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.5%5.4–7.6%5.7%about the same
No reliable transportation8.1%6.9–9.4%7.1%about the same
Receive SNAP10.4%8.3–12.7%7.9%
Disability
Any disability36.1%31.4–41%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs17.7%14.8–20.6%11.4%
Thinking or memory14.5%12.4–16.7%12.8%
Hearing10.5%9.3–11.9%6.8%
Vision5.6%4.8–6.5%4%
Dressing or bathing4.7%3.9–5.4%3.1%
Errands alone9.3%7.9–10.7%7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Backus door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Minnesota figure falls inside it, we don't call Backus better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Backus directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Minnesota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01