Photo: Ross Griff · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, De Smet is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns
De Smet differs from South Dakota on 6 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for De Smet. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in De Smet
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in De Smet
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.6%), vs 9.2% across South Dakota. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.7%), vs 6.8% across South Dakota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.5% across South Dakota. In all, De Smet runs above South Dakota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (South Dakota 18%), and cancer, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
De Smet is short on primary care and mental health care
De Smet’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 ↓
De Smet is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, De Smet is healthier than 68%. Against the 10,250 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 87%. 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 De Smet’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind De Smet’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, De Smet is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). De Smet’s median household income is $67,321; among the 10,250 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 87%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 De Smet adults…
De Smet runs above SD on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
De Smet is an older town: 29% 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 De Smet as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near De Smet
1 hospital and 1 community health center in De Smet, 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 De Smet; ≈ 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.
0 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of De Smet adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
How De Smet 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.
De Smet and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De Smet | B+ | 33.9% | 12.5% | 13.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of De Smet adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for De Smet
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, De Smet is better than South Dakota on 2 and worse on 4; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside De Smet’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | De Smet | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.5%14.1–21.7 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.1–15.7 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.6–15.6 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.9%26.3–42.8 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.5–14.7 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.3%32.9–42.4 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%33.5–43.1 | 34% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%27.9–35.8 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.6%11.2–14 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.1–9.7 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.6–5.2 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.1%12.2–18.2 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%10.7–16.4 | 15.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%19.7–31.1 | 24.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.2–19.3 | 18.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.2%20.5–32.6 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.9%5.8–10.4 | 8.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.5–82.6 | 76.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.6%68.2–74.7 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%85.9–90 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.4%78.5–84.2 | 75.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%64.4–74.1 | 65.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%67.6–82.8 | 76.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.4%16.4–23.1 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.6%27.3–38.2 | 30.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%12.4–19.1 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%10.5–15.1 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.6%9–12.3 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%3.9–5.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%6.4–10 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3–4.6 | 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 De Smet
Is De Smet a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, De Smet is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 87%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in De Smet?
CDC estimates 33.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.3% and 42.8%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to De Smet?
Avera De Smet Memorial Hospital - Cah in De Smet, 0.6 miles in a straight line from De Smet’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in De Smet have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–10.4%), 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 De Smet 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 De Smet.
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.