Photo: TimothyMN · CC BY-SA 4.0Where Bristol residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Bristol, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bristol. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bristol
Bristol is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Bristol’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Bristol
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 6.8% across South Dakota. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 6.7% across South Dakota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.7%, vs 3.5% across South Dakota. In all, Bristol runs above South Dakota on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (South Dakota 18%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Bristol, and more people treating it
39.1% of adults have high blood pressure (South Dakota 33.3%), but 81.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.9% 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 South Dakota figure falls outside Bristol’s likely range.
Care in and near Bristol
No hospital or community health center in Bristol itself. These are the nearest.
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 Bristol; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Bristol adults…
Bristol runs above SD on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Bristol is an older town: 37% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across South Dakota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bristol as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bristol adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
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 Bristol adults are doing
About the same as South Dakota on each measure.
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.
Bristol 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 Bristol adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Bristol
Why doesn’t Bristol have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Bristol.
What hospital is closest to Bristol?
Sanford Hospital Webster - Cah in Webster, 10.9 miles in a straight line from Bristol’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bristol.
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.