Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Hettinger is healthier than 67%
Hettinger differs from North Dakota on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hettinger. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hettinger
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Hettinger
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.4%), vs 5.9% across North Dakota. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.5%), vs 6.1% across North Dakota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.8%, vs 3.1% across North Dakota. In all, Hettinger runs above North Dakota on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Hettinger adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.9%), vs 21.8% across North Dakota. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Hettinger, and more people treating it
40.9% of adults have high blood pressure (North Dakota 31.8%), but 83.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Hettinger is short on dental care and mental health care
Hettinger’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Hettinger is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Hettinger is healthier than 46%. Against the 9,558 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 67%. 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 Hettinger’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Hettinger’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hettinger is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 23%).
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). Hettinger’s median household income is $62,750; among the 9,558 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 67%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Hettinger compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 83.3% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Hettinger adults…
Hettinger runs above ND on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Hettinger adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
Care in and near Hettinger
1 hospital in Hettinger, 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 Hettinger; ≈ 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).
How Hettinger adults are doing
About the same as North Dakota on each measure.
3 in 10 Hettinger 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.
8.1% of Hettinger adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Hettinger and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hettinger | B− | 35.2% | 14% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Hettinger Township | — | — | — | — |
Hettinger Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hettinger adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hettinger
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hettinger is better than North Dakota on 4 and worse on 11; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Hettinger’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hettinger | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%17.6–24.6 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.8–16.9 | 11.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.9–15.2 | 14.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%29.5–41.4 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14%12.1–15.9 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.9%37.4–44.5 | 31.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%37.2–44.2 | 33.8% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 35%31.9–38.2 | 25.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.6–12.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%7.7–11.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.1–5.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.4%10.7–16.5 | 10.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%12.7–18.7 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.9%24.2–33.9 | 21.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.9–18.4 | 21.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.4%24.8–39 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.9%6.2–10.2 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%75.6–81.2 | 74.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.2%60.1–68.1 | 64.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.3–88.1 | 82.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.3%81.2–85.3 | 76.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.2%61.8–72.3 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.3%68.9–84.5 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%17.4–22.6 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.9%23–33.2 | 29.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.2–24.7 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12%9.3–15.2 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.7%7.1–10.7 | 8.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.8–7 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.4–7.9 | 6.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%6.2–10.6 | 6.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30.1–39 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.5%14.7–20.5 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%11.3–15.1 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%10.1–12.9 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.6–10.5 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.8–5.4 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Hettinger
Is Hettinger a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hettinger is healthier than 46% 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 Hettinger?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 41.4%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hettinger?
West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Hettinger’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hettinger have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–10.2%), 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 Hettinger 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 Hettinger.
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.