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Health in Altona Township · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Altona Township residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Altona Township, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 56164, 57026. How CDC estimates town health

Fair or poor health
18.6%
Worse than MN (16%)
Obesity
39.1%
About the same as MN (33.5%)
No exercise
26.1%
About the same as MN (22.3%)
Uninsured
9.6%
Worse than MN (7.5%)
Feel lonely
29%
About the same as MN (31.2%)
Nearest ER
11.3 mi
Pipestone County Medical Center
What stands out

What stands out about health in Altona Township

7.1%have COPD · MN 5.4%
★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Altona Township adults…

Altona Township runs above MN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

7 of every 100 Altona Township adults have COPD
Minnesota: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 6.3–8.2%
Better than MNWorseAbout the sameMinnesota
Getting care

Care in and near Altona Township

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

HNearest ERPipestone County Medical CenterPipestone · 11.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careRural Health CareBrookings · 21.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
11.3 mi
Pipestone County Medical Center
Pipestone · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
12.2 mi
Avera Flandreau Hospital - Cah
Flandreau · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
15.3 mi
Avera Tyler Hospital
Tyler · not rated
ERRural critical access
DirectionsMedicare profile
21.8 mi
Brookings Health System
Brookings · ★★★★★
ER
DirectionsMedicare profile
21.9 mi
Rural Health Care
4 sites · nearest in Brookings
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
44.5 mi
Falls Community Health
Sioux Falls · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
Directions
✓ Primary careAltona Township is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Altona Township itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Altona Township itself

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 Altona Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Minnesota

Share of adults, with the Minnesota figure marked.

Get no exercise 26.1%MN 22.3%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.9%MN 29.2%
Binge drink 17.8%MN 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 15.6%MN 13.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Altona Township, betterAltona Township, worseAbout the sameMinnesota
Where Altona Township gets moving

1.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves

1Altona Wildlife Management Area337 acres2Winter Wildlife Management Area, West Unit255 acres3Winter Wildlife Management Area, East Unit13 acres
Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76%Yearly checkupMN 75%
66%Dentist visitMN 68%
85%Cholesterol checkMN 85%
69%Colon screeningMN 69%
79%MammogramMN 79%
78%Taking BP medsMN 76%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Altona Township 9.6% · Minnesota 1 in 13 (7.5%)
Mind & connection

How Altona Township adults are doing

About the same as Minnesota on each measure.

3 in 10Altona Township adults feel lonely
29% · MN 31.2% · About the same as MN
1 in 5Altona Township adults lack social or emotional support
21.3% · MN 21.5% · About the same as MN
1 in 4Altona Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.3% · MN 24.4% · About the same as MN
1 in 6Altona Township adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · MN 15.1% · About the same as MN
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Altona Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

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 7
Altona Township adults worry about having enough food
13.7% · MN 11.4%
About the same as MN
1 in 10
Altona Township adults worry about keeping their housing
10.2% · MN 9.3%
About the same as MN
1 in 15
Altona Township adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.7% · MN 5.7%
Worse than MN
1 in 12
Altona Township adults lack reliable transportation
8.1% · MN 7.1%
About the same as MN

10.7% of Altona Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.9% across Minnesota.

Around town

Altona Township and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Fountain Prairie Township: 39.2%Ward Township: 38.6%Verdi Township: 38.6%Troy Township: 39.2%Union Township: 35.4%Aetna Township: 39.2%Grange Township: 39.5%Hope Township: 36.6%Spring Creek Township: 36.5%Elkton Township: 39%Lake Benton Township: 36.9%Drammen Township: 37.2%Richland Township: 39.1%Sweet Township: 39.2%Flandreau Township: 35%Lone Rock Township: 36%Altona Township: 39.1%Altona TownshipFountain Prairie TownshipWard TownshipVerdi TownshipTroy TownshipUnion TownshipPipestone County Medical Center · Pipestone · 11.3 miHAvera Flandreau Hospital - Cah · Flandreau · 12.2 miHAvera Tyler Hospital · Tyler · 15.3 miH
Healthier than MNNear MNLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#11 of 17 towns on this map, healthiest first
Union Township35.4%
Ward Township38.6%
Verdi Township38.6%
Altona Township39.1%
Fountain Prairie Township39.2%
Troy Township39.2%
MN33.5%

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

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Fountain Prairie Township————
Verdi Township————
Troy Township————

Fountain Prairie Township, Verdi Township and Troy Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

30.9%

of Altona Township adults live with a disability (Minnesota 27.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14%
Thinking or memory14.1%
Hearing8.5%
Errands alone8.3%
Vision5%
Dressing or bathing3.9%
Minnesota

Questions about health in Altona Township

Why doesn’t Altona Township have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Altona Township.

What hospital is closest to Altona Township?

Pipestone County Medical Center in Pipestone, 11.3 miles in a straight line from Altona Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Altona Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Minnesota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.