Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bowman is healthier than 92%
Bowman differs from North Dakota on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bowman. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bowman
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Bowman
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.2% across North Dakota. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.9%), vs 6.1% across North Dakota. Stroke is also above the state: 3.9%, vs 3.1% across North Dakota. In all, Bowman runs above North Dakota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Bowman is short on primary care and mental health care
Bowman’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 ↓
Bowman is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bowman is healthier than 70%. Against the 9,565 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 92%. Health Grade ↓
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 North Dakota figure falls outside Bowman’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Bowman’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowman is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 54%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bowman’s median household income is $62,786; among the 9,565 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 92%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Bowman adults…
Bowman runs above ND on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bowman
1 hospital in Bowman, 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 Bowman; ≈ 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 North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
1.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Bowman adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
How Bowman adults are doing
About the same as North Dakota on each measure.
3 in 10 Bowman 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.
6.2% of Bowman adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Bowman and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowman | B+ | 35.7% | 11.2% | 13.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bowman adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bowman
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bowman is better than North Dakota on 2 and worse on 4; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Bowman’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bowman | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.7%14–21.8 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%10.5–15.1 | 11.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.1–15.3 | 14.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.7%27.3–44.6 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.2–13.2 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.2%31.5–40.9 | 31.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%32.6–42.3 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%26.3–34.1 | 25.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11.4 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.5–12 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.6–9.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.3%5.5–9.2 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.2–4.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%9.9–15 | 10.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%10.2–16.8 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.7%19.2–30.6 | 21.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15–22.3 | 21.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5%26.7–40.5 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%5.8–10.9 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.3%71.8–80.3 | 74.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.2%58.4–65.9 | 64.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%83.2–88.2 | 82.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%77.6–83.5 | 76.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%63–73.3 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%68.9–83.4 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.2%15.9–23.1 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.2%23–33.7 | 29.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.3%16.6–24.5 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.2%7.6–13.5 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.9%6.1–10 | 8.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.9%3.9–6.1 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.6–7.1 | 6.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.2%4.4–8.6 | 6.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.2%24.7–35.8 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%10.9–17.3 | 11.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10–14.8 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.4–11.5 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%3.7–5.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.1–9.5 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%2.8–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the North Dakota figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bowman
Is Bowman a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowman is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bowman?
CDC estimates 35.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.3% and 44.6%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bowman?
Southwest Healthcare Services in Bowman, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Bowman’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Bowman have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–10.9%), against 7.3% across North Dakota.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bowman more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bowman.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Dakota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. 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.