One in Four Twin Cities Adults Has Been Diagnosed With Depression
Editor Jasmine McBride reports on CDC PLACES estimates showing 25.5% of Hennepin County adults and 25.7% of Ramsey County adults have been diagnosed with depression, compared with 22.9% in Dakota County and 20.2% nationally. Frequent mental distress is close to the national rate, within the margin of error. Ramsey County also stands out for loneliness, at 37.2% versus 32% nationally. The CDC estimates do not break down results by race, and a provider count does not show whether care is affordable, timely or culturally responsive. The story lists county crisis lines and 988.
About one in four adults in Hennepin and Ramsey counties has been told by a doctor or other health professional that they have depression, a rate well above the national average, according to the latest county-level estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s PLACES project, which produces local health estimates from national survey data, found that 25.5% of Hennepin County adults and 25.7% of Ramsey County adults have been diagnosed with depression. In Dakota County, the rate is 22.9%. Nationally, it is 20.2%. The figures come from the 2025 release of the data, which reflects 2023 survey responses.
The counties look closer to the rest of the country on a separate measure of how people are feeling day to day. The CDC defines frequent mental distress as reporting 14 or more days in the past month when mental health was not good. By that measure, 14.5% of Hennepin adults, 15.9% of Ramsey adults and 14.1% of Dakota adults reported frequent distress, compared with 15.6% nationally. The differences fall within the data’s margin of error.
The depression figures stand out in a region that, by many other measures, looks healthier than the country as a whole. Adults in all three counties are less likely than the average American to be uninsured, to go without physical activity or to report poor overall health. The share of uninsured adults ages 18 to 64 ranges from 7.1% in Dakota County to 7.8% in Ramsey County, compared with 11% nationally.
Access to care is also comparatively strong on paper. County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, counts one mental health provider for every 164 residents in Hennepin County. Those providers include psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists and others.
That combination, a large supply of providers alongside high rates of diagnosed depression, raises questions about who is able to reach care and whether it meets their needs. The CDC estimates do not break down results by race, and a provider count does not show whether care is affordable, available in a timely way or culturally responsive.
Ramsey County said in a written statement that its Community Health Assessment and online data portal include mental health information by race and ethnicity, including for Black residents, which it uses to identify disparities and improve access to culturally responsive care. Residents named mental health, well-being and belonging as a priority in the county’s 2026-2031 Community Health Improvement Plan.
Ramsey County also stands out for loneliness. The CDC estimates that 37.2% of Ramsey adults feel lonely, compared with 32% nationally, 33% in Hennepin County and 29.4% in Dakota County. One in four Ramsey adults, 25%, reported lacking social and emotional support, the highest share of the three counties.
The county said social factors, including housing stability, economic pressures, transportation and access to community resources, may contribute to loneliness and limited social support. It also pointed to its diversity, the highest in the metro area. Barriers related to language, cultural connection, discrimination and access to culturally responsive services could contribute to loneliness, the county said, and many residents born outside the country may feel isolated away from more familiar surroundings.
Other measures tied to mental health show mixed results. Fewer adults in the three counties report getting less than seven hours of sleep than the national average, about 28% to 30% compared with 36%. But binge drinking is more common in Hennepin County, at 18.3% of adults, than nationally, at 15.2%.
The CDC cautions that its county numbers are model-based estimates drawn from national survey data, not direct counts. The estimates are meant to help communities spot health needs and plan prevention efforts.
Ramsey County uses data like the CDC estimates to identify health trends and disparities and to target prevention efforts, the county said, though its own data may produce different figures because of differences in methods and reporting periods.
Hennepin and Dakota counties did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
Where to get help
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. County crisis lines are also available:
- Hennepin County (COPE): 612-596-1223
- Ramsey County: 651-266-7900
- Dakota County: 952-891-7171
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.