Health · May

May, MN health

May differs from Minnesota on 12 of 40 measures. It has fewer lonely adults (27.2% vs 31.2%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (78.9% vs 76.1%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (6.8% vs 5.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 56473, 56466
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

May’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, May is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns and 89% of Minnesota towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressA+Mental distressB+ObesityB+DiabetesA-SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 89%
Less healthyHealthier
Minnesota towns we grade (574)Healthier than 89%
Towns with similar incomes, $103K–$172K (3,626)Healthier than 65%

Wealth explains part of the grade. May is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, May could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Minnesota ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares May with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. May’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How May 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 May adults…

35 of every 100 May adults have high blood pressure
Minnesota: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 31.6–37.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

May, betterMay, worseToo close to callMinnesota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 24.8% May
MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.1% May
MN 29.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 18.4% May
MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.6% May
MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76%
Yearly checkup
MN 75%
68%
Dentist visit
MN 68%
86%
Cholesterol check
MN 85%
69%
Colon screening
MN 69%
79%
Mammogram
MN 79%
79%
Taking BP meds
MN 76%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
May 6.9% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How May adults are doing

1 in 4May adults feel lonely
27.2% · Minnesota 31.2% · better
1 in 4May adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.8% · Minnesota 24.4% · too close to call
1 in 5May adults lack social or emotional support
20.1% · Minnesota 21.5% · too close to call
1 in 6May adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · 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
May adults worry about having enough food
10.6% · MN 11.4% · about the same
1 in 12
May adults worry about keeping their housing
8.5% · MN 9.3% · about the same
1 in 18
May adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.7% · MN 5.7% · about the same
1 in 15
May adults lack reliable transportation
6.8% · MN 7.1% · about the same

8% of May adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs13.4%
Thinking or memory13%
Hearing8.2%
Errands alone7.5%
Vision4.3%
Dressing or bathing3.6%

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

Around May

May and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are the nearest hospitals and community health centers.

Motley: 37% Motley: 35.8% Becker: 37.2% Meadow Brook: 37% Fairview: 36% Sylvan: 36.2% Scandia Valley: 37.4% Villard: 38.3% Rosing: 35.8% Fawn Lake: 38.5% Thomastown: 39.1% Byron: 38.4% Home Brook: 36.4% Moose Lake: 37.1% East Gull Lake: 34% Lake Shore: 34.8% Pillager: 36.7% Fort Ripley: 37.7% Baxter: 36.6% May: 36.3% May Motley Motley Becker Meadow Brook Fairview Sylvan Lakewood Health System · Staples · 7.8 miH
34%39.1%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#7 of 20towns on this map, healthiest first
Motley35.8%
Fairview36%
Sylvan36.2%
May36.3%
Motley37%
Meadow Brook37%
Becker37.2%

Care nearby

Lakewood Health SystemStaples · 7.8 mi · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical CenterBrainerd · 18.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Astera HealthWadena · 27.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
St. Gabriels HospitalLittle Falls · 30.7 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Scenic Rivers Health ServicesFloodwood · 88.1 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
Community Health Service Inc. - WillmarWillmar · 90.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
! Primary careMay's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careMay's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthMay's county is a federal shortage area.Region 5 Mental Health Service Area · need score 16 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of May. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for May
MeasureMayMarginMinnesota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure34.7%31.6–37.8%31%worse
High cholesterol35.8%32.6–39%33.4%about the same
Obesity36.3%31.2–41.3%33.5%about the same
Arthritis26.4%23.8–28.8%22.3%worse
Depression23.8%21–26.7%24.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)9.5%8–11.2%8.9%about the same
Asthma10.2%9.2–11.2%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10%9.1–10.7%8.5%worse
Diabetes11.7%10.4–13.1%10.1%worse
COPD6.8%6–7.6%5.4%worse
Heart disease7.3%6.6–8.1%5.9%worse
Stroke3.6%3.3–4%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.6%13.6–17.9%13.1%worse
Binge drink18.4%15.7–21%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise24.8%21.5–28.3%22.3%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours34.1%29.8–38.6%29.2%worse
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup75.9%72.8–78.6%74.8%about the same
Dentist visit67.8%65–70.5%67.5%about the same
Cholesterol check86.3%84.8–87.7%85.3%about the same
Colon screening69.1%65.3–72.7%68.7%about the same
Mammogram79.3%73.9–84.1%78.5%about the same
Taking BP meds78.9%76.3–81.1%76.1%better
No health insurance6.9%5.8–8.2%7.5%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely27.2%23.7–30.9%31.2%better
Lack emotional support20.1%17.4–22.7%21.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress15.4%13.8–17%15.1%about the same
Fair or poor health17.3%15.3–19.5%16%about the same
Frequent physical distress13%11.6–14.4%11.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity10.6%9–12.4%11.4%about the same
Housing insecurity8.5%7.3–9.8%9.3%about the same
Utility shut-off threat5.7%4.9–6.4%5.7%about the same
No reliable transportation6.8%6–7.5%7.1%about the same
Receive SNAP8%6.7–9.4%7.9%
Disability
Any disability29.8%26.5–33.1%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs13.4%11.8–15.1%11.4%
Thinking or memory13%11.6–14.4%12.8%
Hearing8.2%7.4–9.1%6.8%
Vision4.3%3.9–4.7%4%
Dressing or bathing3.6%3.3–4%3.1%
Errands alone7.5%6.8–8.4%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 May door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Minnesota figure falls inside it, we don't call May better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like May by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover May by how much of its land each one covers.

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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May

Minnesota · MN · Cass County
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