Health · Park River

Park River, ND health

Park River differs from North Dakota on 13 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (17.2% vs 21.3%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (81.6% vs 76.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults with heart disease (8.8% vs 6.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Park River

BHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Park River’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Park River is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, and than 73% of towns with similar incomes.

B-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressAMental distressBObesityB-DiabetesB-SmokingC+Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 57%

Less healthyHealthier

North Dakota towns we grade (68)Healthier than 30%

Towns with similar incomes, $52K–$87K (9,558)Healthier than 73%

Better than its income would suggest. Park River is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Park River 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 North Dakota 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 Park River 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. Park River uses CDC’s own estimate for it. 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 Park River compares with North Dakota

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 Park River adults…

39 of every 100 Park River adults have high blood pressure

North Dakota: 32 in 100 · worse · margin 34.4–42.9%

Bars show Park River; the black tick is North Dakota. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Park River, betterPark River, worseToo close to callNorth Dakota

Get no exerciseshare of adults 27% Park River
ND 21.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.7% Park River
ND 32.7%

Binge drinkshare of adults 17.2% Park River
ND 21.3%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.8% Park River
ND 13.1%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Park River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.

Yearly checkup

ND 74%

Dentist visit

ND 65%

Cholesterol check

ND 83%

Colon screening

ND 65%

Mammogram

ND 78%

Taking BP meds

ND 76%

1 in 12

working-age adults has no health insurance

Park River 8.4% · North Dakota 1 in 14 (7.3%)

Mind & connection

How Park River adults are doing

1 in 4Park River adults feel lonely

27.7% · North Dakota 29.6% · too close to call

1 in 5Park River adults have been diagnosed with depression

20% · North Dakota 21.3% · too close to call

1 in 5Park River adults lack social or emotional support

20.7% · North Dakota 20.6% · too close to call

1 in 7Park River adults are in frequent mental distress

13.5% · North Dakota 14.2% · 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

Park River adults worry about having enough food

11.4% · ND 10.7% · about the same

1 in 12

Park River adults worry about keeping their housing

8.6% · ND 8.9% · about the same

1 in 18

Park River adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

5.5% · ND 5.8% · about the same

1 in 16

Park River adults lack reliable transportation

6.4% · ND 6.5% · about the same

7.4% of Park River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.

Disability

Living with a disability

33.5%

of Park River adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.4%

Thinking or memory13.2%

Hearing11%

Errands alone8.8%

Vision5.4%

Dressing or bathing4.3%

Black tick: North Dakota. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Park River

Park River 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 Park River.

34.7%37.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#2 of 10towns on this map, healthiest first

Rushford34.7%

Park River34.9%

Kensington35.1%

Care in and near Park River

1 hospital in Park River, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

First Care Health CenterPark River · 0.6 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Unity Medical CenterGrafton · 15.1 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Pembina County Memorial HospitalCavalier · 28 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Cavalier County Memorial Hospital AssociationLangdon · 38.3 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Community Health Service Inc. - GraftonGrafton · 14.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Spectra Health LarimoreLarimore · 33.8 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary carePark River's county is a federal shortage area.Walsh County · need score 9 of 25

✓ Dental carePark River is not a shortage area

! Mental healthPark River's county is a federal shortage area.Walsh County · need score 18 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 Park River. 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 Park River

Measure	Park River	Margin	North Dakota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	38.7%	34.4–42.9%	31.8%	worse
High cholesterol	38%	33.9–42.4%	33.8%	worse
Obesity	34.9%	28.5–42.1%	36.5%	about the same
Arthritis	33.9%	30.2–37.6%	25.3%	worse
Depression	20%	17–23.5%	21.3%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	10.9%	8.6–13.5%	10.8%	about the same
Asthma	10.3%	9.1–11.7%	10.1%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	11.3%	10.1–12.7%	8.2%	worse
Diabetes	12.3%	10.4–14.4%	9.8%	worse
COPD	8.5%	6.7–10.3%	5.9%	worse
Heart disease	8.8%	7.4–10.2%	6.1%	worse
Stroke	4.4%	3.7–5.2%	3.1%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	14.8%	11.9–18.1%	13.1%	about the same
Binge drink	17.2%	14.3–20.6%	21.3%	better
Get no exercise	27%	21.7–32.7%	21.8%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	32.7%	26.8–39.1%	32.7%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	78.1%	74.6–81.4%	74.4%	better
Dentist visit	66.1%	62.4–69.8%	64.5%	about the same
Cholesterol check	85.8%	83.5–88%	82.7%	better
Colon screening	64.5%	59.4–69.4%	64.9%	about the same
Mammogram	74.8%	67.1–81.6%	78%	about the same
Taking BP meds	81.6%	78.8–84.1%	76.3%	better
No health insurance	8.4%	6.1–11.1%	7.3%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	27.7%	23.3–32.3%	29.6%	about the same
Lack emotional support	20.7%	17.3–24.2%	20.6%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	13.5%	11.7–15.4%	14.2%	about the same
Fair or poor health	19.6%	15.8–23.6%	16.1%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	14%	11.8–16.5%	11.4%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	11.4%	8.7–14.5%	10.7%	about the same
Housing insecurity	8.6%	6.9–10.6%	8.9%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	5.5%	4.6–6.6%	5.8%	about the same
No reliable transportation	6.4%	5.3–7.6%	6.5%	about the same
Receive SNAP	7.4%	5.4–9.7%	6.7%
Disability
Any disability	33.5%	28.4–39%	27.6%
Walking or climbing stairs	16.4%	13.2–19.7%	11.2%
Thinking or memory	13.2%	11–15.5%	12.6%
Hearing	11%	9.4–12.5%	7.8%
Vision	5.4%	4.4–6.5%	4.1%
Dressing or bathing	4.3%	3.5–5.2%	3.1%
Errands alone	8.8%	7.1–10.5%	7.1%

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 Park River door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the North Dakota figure falls inside it, we don't call Park River better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Park River directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Dakota 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.