Health · Sandstone

Sandstone, MN health

Sandstone differs from Minnesota on 24 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (16.4% vs 8.9%) and more adults facing food insecurity (19.2% vs 11.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 55072, 55704
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Sandstone’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Sandstone is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns, and than 45% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressCMental distressDObesityB-DiabetesD-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 20%
Less healthyHealthier
Minnesota towns we grade (574)Healthier than 1%
Towns with similar incomes, $39K–$65K (5,908)Healthier than 45%

Better than its income would suggest. Sandstone is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Sandstone could be anywhere from D to B−.
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 Sandstone 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. Sandstone’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 Sandstone 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 Sandstone adults…

39 of every 100 Sandstone adults have high blood pressure
Minnesota: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 35.3–43.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Sandstone, betterSandstone, worseToo close to callMinnesota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 31% Sandstone
MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.3% Sandstone
MN 29.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 18.6% Sandstone
MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 21.9% Sandstone
MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

74%
Yearly checkup
MN 75%
55%
Dentist visit
MN 68%
82%
Cholesterol check
MN 85%
61%
Colon screening
MN 69%
71%
Mammogram
MN 79%
76%
Taking BP meds
MN 76%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sandstone 11.8% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How Sandstone adults are doing

1 in 3Sandstone adults feel lonely
32.3% · Minnesota 31.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Sandstone adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.4% · Minnesota 24.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Sandstone adults lack social or emotional support
25.3% · Minnesota 21.5% · worse
1 in 6Sandstone adults are in frequent mental distress
17.6% · Minnesota 15.1% · worse
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 5
Sandstone adults worry about having enough food
19.2% · MN 11.4% · worse
1 in 7
Sandstone adults worry about keeping their housing
14.1% · MN 9.3% · worse
1 in 11
Sandstone adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.5% · MN 5.7% · worse
1 in 9
Sandstone adults lack reliable transportation
10.7% · MN 7.1% · worse

15.3% of Sandstone adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Disability

Living with a disability

36.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.5%
Thinking or memory16.5%
Hearing9.2%
Errands alone9.8%
Vision6.2%
Dressing or bathing4.9%

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

Around Sandstone

Sandstone and the towns around it

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

Sandstone: 43.7% Danforth: 42.6% Finlayson: 39.5% Dell Grove: 42.3% Arlone: 41.3% Partridge: 40% Barry: 41.3% Wilma: 42.8% Fleming: 40.2% Clover: 41.3% Finlayson: 40.8% Kettle River: 39.5% Pine Lake: 39.1% Rutledge: 40.6% Bremen: 39.1% Kroschel: 42.2% Hinckley: 41.3% Crosby: 41.3% Norman: 39.6% Hinckley: 41.2% Munch: 40.6% Sandstone: 42.7% Sandstone Sandstone Danforth Finlayson Dell Grove Arlone Partridge Barry Essentia Health Sandstone · Sandstone · 4.6 miH
39.1%43.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#20 of 22towns on this map, healthiest first
Finlayson39.5%
Partridge40%
Arlone41.3%
Barry41.3%
Dell Grove42.3%
Danforth42.6%
Sandstone42.7%
Sandstone43.7%
6 places to get careNearest ER 4.6 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Sandstone

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

HNearest EREssentia Health SandstoneSandstone · 4.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWelia Health★★★★★ · 29.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLake Superior Community Health CenterCarlton · 41.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.6 mi
Essentia Health Sandstone
Sandstone · not rated
ERRural critical access
23.2 mi
Essentia Health Moose Lake
Moose Lake · not rated
ERRural critical access
24 mi
Burnett Medical Center
Grantsburg · not rated
ERRural critical access
29.4 mi
Welia Health
Mora · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
41.7 mi
Lake Superior Community Health Center
4 sites · nearest in Carlton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
45.9 mi
Lakes Community Health Center, Inc the
4 sites · nearest in Minong
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careSandstone's county is a federal shortage area.Pine County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careSandstone's county is a federal shortage area.Pine County · need score 10 of 25
! Mental healthSandstone's county is a federal shortage area.Region 7E · 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 Sandstone. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Sandstone
MeasureSandstoneMarginMinnesota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure39.2%35.3–43.1%31%worse
High cholesterol34.8%31–38.8%33.4%about the same
Obesity42.7%35.9–49.7%33.5%worse
Arthritis26.2%23.3–29.2%22.3%worse
Depression24.4%21.1–27.9%24.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)16.4%13.4–19.6%8.9%worse
Asthma10%8.9–11.2%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.4%7.7–9.2%8.5%about the same
Diabetes13.9%12.2–15.7%10.1%worse
COPD8.3%7.4–9.4%5.4%worse
Heart disease8.2%7.4–9%5.9%worse
Stroke4.3%3.9–4.6%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes21.9%19.1–24.9%13.1%worse
Binge drink18.6%15.5–21.9%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise31%26.7–35.5%22.3%worse
Sleep under 7 hours35.3%29.6–41.1%29.2%worse
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup73.9%70.1–77.6%74.8%about the same
Dentist visit55.2%51.5–58.7%67.5%worse
Cholesterol check81.7%79.6–84%85.3%worse
Colon screening60.9%55.9–65.5%68.7%worse
Mammogram71%63.2–77.8%78.5%worse
Taking BP meds75.7%72.7–78.6%76.1%about the same
No health insurance11.8%9.7–13.9%7.5%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely32.3%27.8–37.1%31.2%about the same
Lack emotional support25.3%21.9–29.1%21.5%worse
Frequent mental distress17.6%15.7–19.6%15.1%worse
Fair or poor health24.1%21.2–27.1%16%worse
Frequent physical distress15.4%13.7–17.2%11.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity19.2%16.4–22.3%11.4%worse
Housing insecurity14.1%12.2–16.4%9.3%worse
Utility shut-off threat9.5%8.3–10.9%5.7%worse
No reliable transportation10.7%9.4–12.1%7.1%worse
Receive SNAP15.3%13.1–17.8%7.9%
Disability
Any disability36.5%32.5–40.7%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs16.5%14.6–18.5%11.4%
Thinking or memory16.5%14.6–18.4%12.8%
Hearing9.2%8.3–10.2%6.8%
Vision6.2%5.6–6.9%4%
Dressing or bathing4.9%4.5–5.5%3.1%
Errands alone9.8%8.8–11%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 Sandstone door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Minnesota figure falls inside it, we don't call Sandstone better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Sandstone by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Sandstone 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01