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≈ BHealth Grade
Health in Freeman · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Freeman is healthier than 91%

Freeman differs from South Dakota on 7 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 4 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Freeman. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Freeman

Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Freeman

1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.6%), vs 9.2% across South Dakota. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.9%), vs 6.8% across South Dakota. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.5% across South Dakota. In all, Freeman runs above South Dakota on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Freeman is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Freeman is healthier than 64%. Against the 8,153 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 91%. 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 Freeman’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Freeman’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Freeman is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 93% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 33%).

BSelf-rated health18.1% · SD 17.3% · U.S. 19.4%
BPhysical distress13.5% · SD 12.3% · U.S. 13%
AMental distress13.4% · SD 15.3% · U.S. 15.9%
B+Obesity33.5% · SD 35.9% · U.S. 32.9%
CDiabetes13.2% · SD 11.7% · U.S. 12%
BSmoking13.6% smoke · SD 15.2% · U.S. 11.8%
B−Exercise25.9% · SD 24.1% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 64%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $43K–$72K (8,153)Healthier than 91%

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). Freeman’s median household income is $57,440; among the 8,153 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 91%, more than its income alone would suggest.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Freeman could be anywhere from C− to A. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Freeman adults…

Freeman runs above SD on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

13 of every 100 Freeman adults have had cancer
South Dakota: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 11.3–14%
Better than SDWorseAbout the sameSouth Dakota
Getting care

Care in and near Freeman

1 hospital in Freeman, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERFreeman Medical Center - CahFreeman · 0 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHorizon Health CareYankton · 32.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0 mi
Freeman Medical Center - Cah
Freeman · not rated
ERRural critical accessIn Freeman
20.3 mi
Landmann Jungman Memorial Hospital Corporation
Scotland · not rated
ER
21.2 mi
Pioneer Memorial Hospital - Cah
Viborg · not rated
ERRural critical access
28.3 mi
Avera St. Benedict Health Center - Cah
Parkston · ★★★★★
Rural critical access
32.5 mi
Horizon Health Care
6 sites · nearest in Yankton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
38 mi
Falls Community Health
Sioux Falls · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careFreeman is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careFreeman is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Freeman itself

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 Freeman; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with South Dakota

Share of adults, with the South Dakota figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.9%SD 24.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 28.2%SD 29.7%
Binge drink 15.5%SD 18.8%
Smoke cigarettes 13.6%SD 15.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Freeman, betterFreeman, worseAbout the sameSouth Dakota
Where Freeman gets moving

1.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Freeman adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.

79%Yearly checkupSD 77%
68%Dentist visitSD 69%
88%Cholesterol checkSD 85%
65%Colon screeningSD 66%
75%MammogramSD 77%
82%Taking BP medsSD 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Freeman 8.7% · South Dakota 1 in 11 (8.8%)
Mind & connection

How Freeman adults are doing

About the same as South Dakota on each measure.

1 in 5Freeman adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.1% · SD 21.2% · About the same as SD
1 in 7Freeman adults are in frequent mental distress
13.4% · SD 15.3% · About the same as SD
The one neighbors can help with

A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Freeman and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Grandview Township: 34%Valley Township: 34%Silver Lake Township: 35.2%Rosefield Township: 33.3%Wolf Creek Township: 34%Childstown Township: 33.7%Kassel Township: 33.7%Molan Township: 34%Freeman: 33.5%FreemanGrandview TownshipValley TownshipFreeman Medical Center - Cah · Freeman · 0 miH
Healthier than SDNear SDLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#2 of 9 towns on this map, healthiest first
Freeman33.5%
Grandview Township34%
Valley Township34%
SD35.9%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
FreemanB33.5%13.2%13.6%CDC place
Grandview Township————
Valley Township————

Grandview Township and Valley Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

32.8%

of Freeman adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.1%
Thinking or memory12.5%
Hearing11%
Errands alone8.2%
Vision5.1%
Dressing or bathing3.9%
South Dakota

Every CDC estimate for Freeman

Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Freeman is better than South Dakota on 3 and worse on 4; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Freeman’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…FreemanSDU.S.vs SD
Overall health
Fair or poor health18.1%14.6–22.317.3%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.5%11.3–1612.3%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)13.4%11.5–15.515.3%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity33.5%25.8–42.435.9%32.9%About the same
Diabetes13.2%11–15.611.7%12%About the same
High blood pressure38.2%33.3–4333.3%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37.3%32.8–42.134%37.1%About the same
Arthritis31.9%27.9–3625.8%25.3%Worse
Asthma9.8%8.6–11.210.1%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer12.6%11.3–149.2%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.9%7.5–10.56.8%6.4%Worse
COPD7.9%6.3–9.96.7%6.3%About the same
Stroke4.5%3.7–5.33.5%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)12.2%9.8–15.112.7%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes13.6%10.9–16.915.2%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work25.9%20.2–3224.1%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.5%12.7–18.618.8%15.4%Better
Sleep under 7 hours28.2%22.3–34.929.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8.7%6.8–10.98.8%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79.2%75.7–82.476.5%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year68%64.4–71.769.2%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years88.4%86.7–90.184.8%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)81.5%78.8–84.275.9%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)65.2%60–70.365.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)75.3%67.5–82.576.6%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression19.1%16.1–22.721.2%20.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability32.8%27.4–38.430.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs16.1%12.9–19.812.9%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering12.5%10.4–14.913.7%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty11%9.3–12.88.2%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.1%4.1–6.24.7%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone8.2%6.7–10.17.8%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.9%3.2–4.83.5%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 Freeman

Is Freeman a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Freeman is healthier than 64% 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 Freeman?

CDC estimates 33.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.8% and 42.4%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Freeman?

Freeman Medical Center - Cah in Freeman, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Freeman’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Freeman have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.9%), 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 Freeman 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 Freeman.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.