Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Shell Valley’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Shell Valley differs from North Dakota on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 25 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shell Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shell Valley
Making ends meet is harder in Shell Valley
36.2% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 10.7% across North Dakota (3 times the North Dakota rate). Utility shut-off threats (18.4% vs 5.8%) and no reliable transportation (20.6% vs 6.5%) are higher too. 26% of adults receive SNAP, vs 6.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Shell Valley
3 in 10 adults smoke cigarettes (28.1%), about twice the North Dakota rate. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Shell Valley
47.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.5% across North Dakota. Among those 65 and older, 25.4% have lost all their teeth (North Dakota 10.8%). Shell Valley’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. 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 Shell Valley’s likely range.
What’s behind Shell Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shell Valley is near the bottom of U.S. towns. All seven of Shell Valley’s estimates fall in the lowest 7% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is obesity: 51.6% of adults, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
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). Shell Valley’s median household income is $46,786; among the 4,576 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 3%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Shell Valley compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26% of Shell Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shell Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
Out of every 100 Shell Valley adults…
Shell Valley runs below ND on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of Shell Valley residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Dakota. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Shell Valley
1 hospital in Shell Valley, 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 Shell Valley; ≈ 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 Shell Valley adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Shell Valley runs above North Dakota.
1 in 3 Shell Valley 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.
Shell Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Valley | D− | 51.6% | 17.6% | 28.1% | CDC place |
| Shell Valley Township | — | — | — | — |
Shell Valley 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 Shell Valley adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shell Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shell Valley is better than North Dakota on 2 and worse on 25; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Shell Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shell Valley | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.7%26.8–36.6 | 16.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%16.4–21.8 | 11.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.3%18.5–24.3 | 14.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 51.6%43.5–58.7 | 36.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.6%15.2–20.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%33.2–41.7 | 31.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.6%28.5–36.5 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.1%24.7–31.3 | 25.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 15.3%13.4–17.2 | 10.1% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5–6.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.6–8.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.3%7.7–11.2 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25.4%20.8–30.3 | 10.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 28.1%23.3–33.1 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.9%29.7–42 | 21.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18%14.7–21.2 | 21.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.3%35.1–49.1 | 32.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.6%8.6–14.9 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.4%69–77.2 | 74.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.2%42.8–51.2 | 64.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.5%74.1–80.6 | 82.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%70.4–76.5 | 76.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56%50.2–61.5 | 64.9% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.1%58.2–76.5 | 78% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%19.6–27.1 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%29.8–40.7 | 29.6% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.1%25.5–34.9 | 20.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 36.2%30–42.9 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26%21.4–30.8 | 8.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18.4%15.5–21.6 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 20.6%17.4–24.2 | 6.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26%20.8–32.4 | 6.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.3%37.3–48.6 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.7%17.5–23.9 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.1%17.8–24.4 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11%9.6–12.5 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.8%9.2–12.5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.6%12.2–16.9 | 7.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.4%5.3–7.6 | 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 Shell Valley
Is Shell Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shell Valley is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 3%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shell Valley?
CDC estimates 51.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 43.5% and 58.7%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shell Valley?
P H S Indian Hosp at Belcourt-Quentin N Burdick in Belcourt, 2.5 miles in a straight line from Shell Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shell Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–14.9%), 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 Shell Valley more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Shell Valley.
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.