Photo: Teresa Fazio · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Buffalo Gap residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Buffalo Gap, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buffalo Gap. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buffalo Gap
Heart disease, cancer and arthritis run high in Buffalo Gap
1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.6%), vs 6.8% across South Dakota. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.4%), vs 9.2% across South Dakota. Arthritis is also above the state: 31.4%, vs 25.8% across South Dakota. In all, Buffalo Gap runs above South Dakota on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Buffalo Gap, and more people treating it
38.7% of adults have high blood pressure (South Dakota 33.3%), but 80.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Buffalo Gap is short on dental care and mental health care
Buffalo Gap’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 ↓
Buffalo Gap keeps up with checkups
It beats South Dakota on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.3% vs 69.2%) and cholesterol checks (88.7% vs 84.8%). 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 Buffalo Gap’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Buffalo Gap adults…
Buffalo Gap runs above SD on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Buffalo Gap adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
Care in and near Buffalo Gap
No hospital or community health center in Buffalo Gap 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 Buffalo Gap; ≈ 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 Buffalo Gap 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.
Buffalo Gap 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 Buffalo Gap adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Buffalo Gap
Why doesn’t Buffalo Gap have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Buffalo Gap.
What hospital is closest to Buffalo Gap?
Fall River Hospital - Cah in Hot Springs, 9.6 miles in a straight line from Buffalo Gap’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 Buffalo Gap.
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.