Photo: J.B. Chandler · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Ekalaka residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Ekalaka, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ekalaka. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ekalaka
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Ekalaka
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.5%), vs 6.6% across Montana. 1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.8%), vs 7% across Montana. Stroke is also above the state: 4.9%, vs 3.5% across Montana. In all, Ekalaka runs above Montana on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 55% of residents are 65 or older (Montana 20%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Ekalaka, and more people treating it
40.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Montana 31.9%), but 79.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Ekalaka is short on primary care and mental health care
Ekalaka’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Montana figure falls outside Ekalaka’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Ekalaka adults…
Ekalaka runs above MT on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ekalaka is an older town: 55% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Montana. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Ekalaka as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ekalaka adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
Care in and near Ekalaka
1 hospital in Ekalaka, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Ekalaka; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Ekalaka adults are doing
About the same as Montana on each measure.
3 in 10 Ekalaka adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.9% of Ekalaka adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Ekalaka and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ekalaka adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Ekalaka
Why doesn’t Ekalaka have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Ekalaka.
What hospital is closest to Ekalaka?
Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association in Ekalaka, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Ekalaka’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 Ekalaka.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Montana 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.