Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Custer is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Custer differs from South Dakota on 13 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Custer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Custer
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Custer
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.3%), vs 9.2% across South Dakota. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33.4%), vs 25.8% across South Dakota. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.6%, vs 6.8% across South Dakota. In all, Custer runs above South Dakota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (South Dakota 18%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Custer, and more people treating it
39.1% of adults have high blood pressure (South Dakota 33.3%), but 82.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Custer is short on dental care and mental health care
Custer’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 ↓
Custer keeps up with checkups
It beats South Dakota on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (81% vs 76.5%) and dentist visits (73.1% vs 69.2%). 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 Custer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Custer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Custer is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). Custer’s median household income is $78,369; among the 10,823 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Custer adults…
Custer runs above SD on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Custer is an older town: 35% 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 Custer as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Custer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
Care in and near Custer
No hospital or community health center in Custer 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 Custer; ≈ 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.
4.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Custer adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Custer 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.
Custer and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer | B+ | 32.9% | 13% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Custer adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Custer
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Custer is better than South Dakota on 7 and worse on 6; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Custer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Custer | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%13.7–19.2 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11–14.7 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.7–14.1 | 15.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%25.4–41 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11–15 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.1%34.6–43.8 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.2%35.6–45 | 34% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.4%29.5–37.4 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.3%12–14.6 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.5–9.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.7–13.2 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%10.5–15.6 | 15.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%19.8–29.4 | 24.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.3–18 | 18.8% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.7%21–33 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.3–8.5 | 8.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%77.6–84 | 76.5% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.1%69.7–76.2 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.1–92 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.2%79.4–84.9 | 75.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.2%65.2–74.9 | 65.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%69.4–83.8 | 76.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%15.9–22.2 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%26.1–35.4 | 30.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%12.5–17.4 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11%9.4–12.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.8–5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.1–8.3 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4.1 | 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 Custer
Is Custer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Custer is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Custer?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 41%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Custer?
Monument Health Custer Hospital in Custer, 3.7 miles in a straight line from Custer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Custer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–8.5%), 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 Custer 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 Custer.
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.