Hyden House · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Where Alcester residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Alcester, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alcester. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alcester
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Alcester
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.6%), vs 9.2% across South Dakota. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.7%), vs 6.8% across South Dakota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.5% across South Dakota. In all, Alcester runs above South Dakota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (South Dakota 18%), and cancer, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Alcester, and more people treating it
38.2% of adults have high blood pressure (South Dakota 33.3%), but 81.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Alcester has a community health center but no hospital
Horizon Health Care is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Hawarden Regional Healthcare in Hawarden, 7.7 miles away. 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 South Dakota figure falls outside Alcester’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Alcester adults…
Alcester runs above SD on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Alcester is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across South Dakota. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Alcester as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Alcester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
Care in and near Alcester
1 community health center in Alcester, 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 Alcester; ≈ 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 South Dakota
Share of adults, with the South Dakota figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Alcester adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Alcester does better than South Dakota.
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.
Alcester 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 Alcester adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Alcester
Why doesn’t Alcester have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Alcester.
What hospital is closest to Alcester?
Hawarden Regional Healthcare in Hawarden, 7.7 miles in a straight line from Alcester’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 Alcester?
2 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Horizon Health - Alcester Dental in Alcester, 0.6 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alcester.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South 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.