Photo: Southeast South Dakota Tourism · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Garretson is healthier than 94%
Garretson beats South Dakota on 1 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Garretson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Garretson
What’s behind Garretson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garretson is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 87% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 47%).
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). Garretson’s median household income is $59,741; among the 8,840 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 94%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Garretson adults…
Garretson runs below SD on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Garretson
No hospital or community health center in Garretson 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 Garretson; ≈ 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.
0.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Garretson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
How Garretson 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.
Garretson and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garretson | B+ | 36.6% | 10.9% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Garretson adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Garretson
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Garretson is better than South Dakota on 1 and worse on 0; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Garretson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Garretson | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%13–18.5 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%9.8–13.2 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.6–18 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.6%32–41.4 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.3–12.6 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%29.9–36.2 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.6–38 | 34% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.4%22.7–28.1 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.2 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.4 | 9.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%5–7.3 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 3.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.7–10.3 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%11.3–17.2 | 15.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.4%19.5–27.5 | 24.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.6%16.8–22.4 | 18.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.2%25.5–33.1 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%5.8–9.9 | 8.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.5%74.3–80.4 | 76.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.1%66–72 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%83.9–88.2 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.3%72.2–78 | 75.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.6%58.4–66.6 | 65.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%71.4–82.9 | 76.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%20–26.1 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.5%24.6–32.6 | 30.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.9%9.8–14.1 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%11–15.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.6–8.6 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.3–4.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6–8.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.5–3.6 | 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 Garretson
Is Garretson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garretson is healthier than 72% 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 Garretson?
CDC estimates 36.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 41.4%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Garretson?
Avera Dells Area Hospital - Cah in Dell Rapids, 13.2 miles in a straight line from Garretson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Garretson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–9.9%), 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 Garretson 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 Garretson.
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.