Where Center residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Center, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Center. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Center
Cancer and arthritis run high in Center
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.2%), vs 8.2% across North Dakota. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.9%), vs 25.3% across North Dakota. In all, Center runs above North Dakota on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (North Dakota 17%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Center is short on primary care and mental health care
Center’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 ↓
More high blood pressure in Center, and more people treating it
36.3% of adults have high blood pressure (North Dakota 31.8%), but 80% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Center’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Center adults…
Center runs above ND on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Center is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Dakota. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Center as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Center
1 community health center in Center, 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 Center; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Center adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Center adults are doing
About the same as North Dakota on each measure.
1 in 4 Center 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.
5.4% of Center adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Center 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 Center adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Center
Why doesn’t Center have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Center.
What hospital is closest to Center?
Sakakawea Medical Center - Cah in Hazen, 19.5 miles in a straight line from Center’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Where can I get low-cost care near Center?
1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Coal Country CHC - Center in Center, 0.1 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Center.
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. 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.