On CDC estimates, Dakota Dunes is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Dakota Dunes beats South Dakota on 13 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dakota Dunes. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dakota Dunes
Dakota Dunes is the healthiest town in South Dakota we grade
Out of 35 South Dakota towns with a Health Grade, Dakota Dunes comes first on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 95% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Dakota Dunes is an active town
Only 17.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.1% across South Dakota. Habits ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Dakota Dunes
Dakota Dunes runs below South Dakota on four chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.8% vs 6.7%), stroke (2.7% vs 3.5%) and heart disease (5.6% vs 6.8%). Conditions ↓
Few Dakota Dunes adults smoke
10.2% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 15.2% across South Dakota. Habits ↓
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 Dakota Dunes’ likely range.
What’s behind Dakota Dunes’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dakota Dunes is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #1 of 35 in South Dakota. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 84%.
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). Dakota Dunes’ median household income is $136,125; among the 3,929 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($102K–$170K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Dakota
Share of adults, with the South Dakota figure marked.
7.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Dakota Dunes adults…
Dakota Dunes runs below SD on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Dakota Dunes
1 hospital in Dakota Dunes, 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 Dakota Dunes; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Dakota Dunes adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
How Dakota Dunes adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Dakota Dunes does better than South Dakota.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
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Dakota Dunes and the towns around it
Dakota Dunes has the best Health Grade of the 4 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Dunes | A | 29.3% | 9.7% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Big Sioux Township | A | 30.3% | 9.9% | 11.6% | ZIP 57049 |
| North Sioux City | A− | 31.5% | 10.1% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dakota Dunes adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dakota Dunes
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dakota Dunes is better than South Dakota on 13 and worse on 0; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Dakota Dunes’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dakota Dunes | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.2%9.9–14.8 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.8%8.2–11.5 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.5–14.4 | 15.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.3%22.7–37 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.1–11.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.4%26.4–34.6 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%30.2–38.8 | 34% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%20.6–27.1 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.1–10.5 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%8.8–10.9 | 9.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.8–6.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%3.8–5.9 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.3%6.6–10.3 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%7.6–13.2 | 15.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.9%14.1–22.3 | 24.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.2–22 | 18.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%23.6–36.1 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.2–7.5 | 8.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.2–80.7 | 76.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.4%71.1–77.4 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%86.4–90.2 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%73.5–79.9 | 75.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.2–73.1 | 65.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%71.9–85.3 | 76.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%16–22.4 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.1%19.1–27.5 | 30.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%7.5–11.3 | 12.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.8%8.1–11.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%5.8–7.7 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.6–3.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.3%4.3–6.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2–2.9 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Dakota Dunes
Is Dakota Dunes a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dakota Dunes is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #1 of 35 in South Dakota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dakota Dunes?
CDC estimates 29.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.7% and 37%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dakota Dunes?
Mercyone Siouxland Medical Center in Sioux City, 4.3 miles in a straight line from Dakota Dunes’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dakota Dunes have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–7.5%), 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 Dakota Dunes more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dakota Dunes.
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.