Health · Turtle Lake

Turtle Lake, MN health

Turtle Lake differs from Minnesota on 16 of 40 measures. It has fewer lonely adults (25.9% vs 31.2%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (83% vs 76.1%). Where it trails the state: more adults with heart disease (9.7% vs 5.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 56484, 56452
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Turtle Lake’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Turtle Lake is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns.

BSelf-rated healthA-Physical distressB-Mental distressC+ObesityA-DiabetesC+SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 58%
Less healthyHealthier
Minnesota towns we grade (574)Healthier than 29%
Towns with similar incomes, $90K–$150K (5,450)Healthier than 21%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Turtle Lake is healthier than 58% 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, Turtle Lake could be anywhere from C 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 Turtle Lake 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. Turtle Lake’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 Turtle Lake 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 Turtle Lake adults…

41 of every 100 Turtle Lake adults have high blood pressure
Minnesota: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 37.1–44.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Turtle Lake, betterTurtle Lake, worseToo close to callMinnesota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.4% Turtle Lake
MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.2% Turtle Lake
MN 29.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.2% Turtle Lake
MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16.1% Turtle Lake
MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
MN 75%
66%
Dentist visit
MN 68%
88%
Cholesterol check
MN 85%
70%
Colon screening
MN 69%
77%
Mammogram
MN 79%
83%
Taking BP meds
MN 76%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Turtle Lake 7% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How Turtle Lake adults are doing

1 in 4Turtle Lake adults feel lonely
25.9% · Minnesota 31.2% · better
1 in 5Turtle Lake adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.2% · Minnesota 24.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Turtle Lake adults lack social or emotional support
19.8% · Minnesota 21.5% · too close to call
1 in 7Turtle Lake adults are in frequent mental distress
14.4% · 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 8
Turtle Lake adults worry about having enough food
12.4% · MN 11.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Turtle Lake adults worry about keeping their housing
8.8% · MN 9.3% · about the same
1 in 16
Turtle Lake adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.1% · MN 5.7% · about the same
1 in 13
Turtle Lake adults lack reliable transportation
7.6% · MN 7.1% · about the same

9.5% of Turtle Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Disability

Living with a disability

34.9%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.6%
Thinking or memory12.7%
Hearing10.7%
Errands alone8.6%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing4.4%

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

Around Turtle Lake

Turtle Lake and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health.

Shingobee: 36.3% Pine Lake: 36.4% Birch Lake: 36.4% Hiram: 36.2% Akeley: 35.9% Leech Lake: 39.1% Steamboat River: 35.9% Kego: 36% Woodrow: 36.4% Hackensack: 37.1% Powers: 37.5% Turtle Lake: 36.6% Turtle Lake Shingobee Pine Lake Birch Lake
35.9%39.1%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#9 of 12towns on this map, healthiest first
Shingobee36.3%
Pine Lake36.4%
Birch Lake36.4%
Turtle Lake36.6%
5 places to get careNearest ER 22.3 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 Turtle Lake

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

HNearest ERCass Lake Indian Health Services HospitalCass Lake · 22.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySanford Bemidji Medical Center★★★★★ · 35.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCook Area Health ServicesNorthome · 56 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
22.3 mi
Cass Lake Indian Health Services Hospital
Cass Lake · not rated
ERRural critical access
29.5 mi
St. Josephs Area Health Services
Park Rapids · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
35.8 mi
Sanford Bemidji Medical Center
Bemidji · ★★★★★
ER
37.2 mi
Essentia Health Deer River
Deer River · not rated
ERRural critical access
56 mi
Cook Area Health Services
8 sites · nearest in Northome
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careTurtle Lake's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careTurtle Lake's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cass County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthTurtle Lake'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 Turtle Lake. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Turtle Lake
MeasureTurtle LakeMarginMinnesota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41%37.1–44.9%31%worse
High cholesterol39.8%35.7–43.6%33.4%worse
Obesity36.6%31–42.6%33.5%about the same
Arthritis31.3%28.1–34.8%22.3%worse
Depression22.2%19.2–25.4%24.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.1%6.5–10%8.9%about the same
Asthma10.3%9.2–11.6%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)12.2%11.1–13.4%8.5%worse
Diabetes15.2%13.1–17.2%10.1%worse
COPD8.4%7.2–9.8%5.4%worse
Heart disease9.7%8.6–10.9%5.9%worse
Stroke4.8%4.3–5.4%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16.1%13.5–18.9%13.1%worse
Binge drink15.2%12.7–17.9%17.8%about the same
Get no exercise28.4%23.9–32.8%22.3%worse
Sleep under 7 hours34.2%29.1–39.6%29.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.4%76.1–82.2%74.8%better
Dentist visit66.3%63–69.5%67.5%about the same
Cholesterol check88.4%86.9–89.7%85.3%better
Colon screening69.9%65.2–74.3%68.7%about the same
Mammogram76.6%69.4–82.8%78.5%about the same
Taking BP meds83%80.4–85.3%76.1%better
No health insurance7%5.7–8.5%7.5%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely25.9%21.8–30%31.2%better
Lack emotional support19.8%16.8–22.9%21.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress14.4%12.7–16.2%15.1%about the same
Fair or poor health20.6%17.7–23.7%16%worse
Frequent physical distress14.8%12.9–16.8%11.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity12.4%10.3–14.8%11.4%about the same
Housing insecurity8.8%7.5–10.4%9.3%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.1%5.2–7.2%5.7%about the same
No reliable transportation7.6%6.6–8.7%7.1%about the same
Receive SNAP9.5%7.7–11.5%7.9%
Disability
Any disability34.9%30.6–39.1%27.4%
Walking or climbing stairs17.6%15.1–20.2%11.4%
Thinking or memory12.7%11.2–14.5%12.8%
Hearing10.7%9.5–12%6.8%
Vision5.5%4.8–6.2%4%
Dressing or bathing4.4%3.8–5%3.1%
Errands alone8.6%7.4–9.9%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 Turtle Lake door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Minnesota figure falls inside it, we don't call Turtle Lake better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Turtle Lake by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Turtle Lake 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