Health · Big Falls

Big Falls, MN health

Big Falls differs from Minnesota on 17 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (13.2% vs 17.8%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (7.3% vs 9.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (9.7% vs 5.4%).

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

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 136 people are less certain, so we show Big Falls's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Big Falls 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 Big Falls adults…

46 of every 100 Big Falls adults have high blood pressure
Minnesota: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 40.8–50.4%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Big Falls, betterBig Falls, worseToo close to callMinnesota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 30.4% Big Falls
MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 28.2% Big Falls
MN 29.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.2% Big Falls
MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17% Big Falls
MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

82%
Yearly checkup
MN 75%
68%
Dentist visit
MN 68%
91%
Cholesterol check
MN 85%
71%
Colon screening
MN 69%
78%
Mammogram
MN 79%
85%
Taking BP meds
MN 76%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Big Falls 6.1% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How Big Falls adults are doing

1 in 4Big Falls adults feel lonely
27.2% · Minnesota 31.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Big Falls adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.8% · Minnesota 24.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Big Falls adults lack social or emotional support
19.6% · Minnesota 21.5% · too close to call
1 in 7Big Falls adults are in frequent mental distress
13.5% · 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 9
Big Falls adults worry about having enough food
10.7% · MN 11.4% · about the same
1 in 14
Big Falls adults worry about keeping their housing
7.3% · MN 9.3% · better
1 in 20
Big Falls adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.9% · MN 5.7% · about the same
1 in 16
Big Falls adults lack reliable transportation
6.1% · MN 7.1% · about the same

8.3% of Big Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Disability

Living with a disability

34.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs18.5%
Thinking or memory12.5%
Hearing10.9%
Errands alone8.5%
Vision5.3%
Dressing or bathing4.8%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Big Falls

1 community health center in Big Falls, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERBigfork Valley HospitalBigfork · 30.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCook Area Health ServicesBig Falls · 0.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.8 mi
Cook Area Health Services
8 sites · nearest in Big Falls
Sliding-scale feesIn Big Falls
Directions to nearest
30.8 mi
Bigfork Valley Hospital
Bigfork · not rated
ERRural critical access
46.4 mi
Lakewood Health Center
Baudette · not rated
ERRural critical access
49.3 mi
Rainy Lake Medical Center
International Falls · not rated
ERRural critical access
66.3 mi
Cass Lake Indian Health Services Hospital
Cass Lake · not rated
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careBig Falls is not a shortage area
! Dental careBig Falls's county is a federal shortage area.Koochiching County · need score 11 of 25
! Mental healthBig Falls's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Region 3 Arrowhead · 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 Big Falls. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Big Falls
MeasureBig FallsMarginMinnesota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure45.6%40.8–50.4%31%worse
High cholesterol42.9%38–47.9%33.4%worse
Obesity38.6%30.8–46.4%33.5%about the same
Arthritis35.9%31.8–40.2%22.3%worse
Depression22.8%19.4–26.6%24.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)11.2%8.9–13.9%8.9%about the same
Asthma10.4%9.1–11.8%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)13.4%12–15%8.5%worse
Diabetes16.5%14.1–19.1%10.1%worse
COPD9.7%7.9–12%5.4%worse
Heart disease10.4%9–12%5.9%worse
Stroke5.1%4.4–5.9%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17%13.4–21%13.1%worse
Binge drink13.2%10.8–16.1%17.8%better
Get no exercise30.4%24.8–36.7%22.3%worse
Sleep under 7 hours28.2%22.8–34.5%29.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.6%78.2–84.6%74.8%better
Dentist visit68.4%64.9–71.7%67.5%about the same
Cholesterol check91.2%89.7–92.6%85.3%better
Colon screening70.9%66.1–75.7%68.7%about the same
Mammogram78.4%71.1–84.6%78.5%about the same
Taking BP meds85.3%82.3–87.8%76.1%better
No health insurance6.1%4.4–8.1%7.5%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely27.2%22.4–32.2%31.2%about the same
Lack emotional support19.6%16.2–23.4%21.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress13.5%11.6–15.5%15.1%about the same
Fair or poor health21%17.3–25.6%16%worse
Frequent physical distress15.8%13.5–18.6%11.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity10.7%8–14.2%11.4%about the same
Housing insecurity7.3%5.8–9.1%9.3%better
Utility shut-off threat4.9%4–5.9%5.7%about the same
No reliable transportation6.1%4.9–7.4%7.1%about the same
Receive SNAP8.3%6–11.1%7.9%
Disability
Any disability34.8%29.6–40.8%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs18.5%15.2–22.4%11.4%
Thinking or memory12.5%10.5–14.9%12.8%
Hearing10.9%9.4–12.4%6.8%
Vision5.3%4.5–6.4%4%
Dressing or bathing4.8%4–5.8%3.1%
Errands alone8.5%7.1–10.3%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 Big Falls door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Minnesota figure falls inside it, we don't call Big Falls better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Big Falls 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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