Photo: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Clark is healthier than 80%
Clark differs from South Dakota on 8 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Clark. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clark
The nearest ER is 30 miles from Clark
The closest emergency room is Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in Watertown, 30.2 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Heart disease, stroke and cancer run high in Clark
1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.6%), vs 6.8% across South Dakota. 1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.4%), vs 3.5% across South Dakota. Cancer is also above the state: 11.4%, vs 9.2% across South Dakota. In all, Clark runs above South Dakota on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (South Dakota 18%), and heart disease, stroke and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Clark is short on primary care and mental health care
Clark’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Clark is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Clark is healthier than 53%. Against the 8,580 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 80%. 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 South Dakota figure falls outside Clark’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Clark’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clark is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Clark’s median household income is $58,750; among the 8,580 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 80%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Clark
No hospital or community health center in Clark 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 Clark; ≈ 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 Clark adults…
Clark runs above SD on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Clark is an older town: 28% 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 Clark as about how healthy they are.
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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Clark adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
How Clark 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.
Clark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark | B− | 33.6% | 13.1% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Day Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Lincoln Township | — | — | — | — |
Day Township and Lincoln 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 Clark adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clark
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clark is better than South Dakota on 1 and worse on 7; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Clark’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clark | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.4%16.2–23 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.1–16.2 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.7–16.6 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%25.6–41.8 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.2–15.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.5%32.2–40.9 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%32.6–41.6 | 34% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%26.6–33.7 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.2 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.4%10.2–12.8 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%6.9–10 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.1%12–18.2 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%12.7–18.5 | 15.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%22.8–33.7 | 24.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%13.9–20.2 | 18.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%23.8–35.9 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.3%8.9–14.4 | 8.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.4–80.7 | 76.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.5%60.5–68 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.2–88.5 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.1%77.3–82.7 | 75.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.7%63.6–73.3 | 65.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%66.5–82.1 | 76.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.1%16.8–23.5 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.1%29.2–39.4 | 30.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%13.7–19.3 | 12.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%11.9–16.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.6–6.5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.4–10.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.5–4.9 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 South Dakota figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Clark
Is Clark a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clark is healthier than 53% 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 Clark?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.6% and 41.8%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Clark have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–14.4%), against 8.8% across South 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 Clark 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 Clark.
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. 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.