Photo: Alanscottwalker · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Fort Pierre is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns
Fort Pierre differs from South Dakota on 3 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Pierre. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Pierre
Fort Pierre is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Pierre is healthier than 75%. Against the 10,541 towns with similar household incomes ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 91%. Health Grade ↓
Fort Pierre is short on primary care and mental health care
Fort Pierre’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 ↓
Fort Pierre has a community health center but no hospital
Rural Health Care is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Avera St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, 2 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Fort Pierre’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Fort Pierre’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Pierre is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 87% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 52%.
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). Fort Pierre’s median household income is $70,357; among the 10,541 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 91%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Fort Pierre
1 community health center in Fort Pierre, 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 Fort Pierre; ≈ 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 Fort Pierre adults…
Fort Pierre runs below SD on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Dakota
Share of adults, with the South Dakota figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Pierre adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
How Fort Pierre 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.
Fort Pierre and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Pierre | A− | 35.9% | 11.2% | 13.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Pierre adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Pierre
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Pierre is better than South Dakota on 2 and worse on 1; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Fort Pierre’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Pierre | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%12.7–18 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.3–13.9 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.4–16.4 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.9%27.2–44.9 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.4–13.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%29.2–37.8 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%30.9–40.1 | 34% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.9%24.6–31.6 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.5 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.4–11.5 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%5.8–7.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.3–7.5 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.9 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.2%7.3–11.5 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%11.2–16.7 | 15.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.8%17.4–26.5 | 24.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.1–22.1 | 18.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.3%22.3–35.1 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.3–8.9 | 8.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%73.7–81.4 | 76.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.4%68.1–74.7 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%85.7–89.6 | 84.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%74.5–81 | 75.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.1%64.9–75 | 65.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%70.4–84.9 | 76.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%17.3–24.1 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%23.7–32.9 | 30.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%10.2–14.6 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.1%10.3–14 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.1–9.3 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.3–4.4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.6 | 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 Fort Pierre
Is Fort Pierre a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Pierre is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 91%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Pierre?
CDC estimates 35.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 44.9%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Pierre?
Avera St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Fort Pierre’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Pierre have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–8.9%), 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 Fort Pierre 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 Fort Pierre.
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.