Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 4.0Where Kennebec residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Kennebec, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kennebec. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kennebec
Kennebec is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Kennebec’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
The nearest ER is 28 miles from Kennebec
The closest emergency room is Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center in Chamberlain, 28 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Rural Health Care is closer (0 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Cancer runs high in Kennebec
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.6%), vs 9.2% across South Dakota. Conditions ↓
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 Kennebec’s likely range.
Care in and near Kennebec
1 community health center in Kennebec, 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 Kennebec; ≈ 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 Kennebec adults…
Kennebec runs above SD on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Dakota
Share of adults, with the South Dakota figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Kennebec adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
How Kennebec 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.
Kennebec and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kennebec adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Kennebec
Why doesn’t Kennebec have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Kennebec.
What hospital is closest to Kennebec?
Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center in Chamberlain, 28.0 miles in a straight line from Kennebec’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Where can I get low-cost care near Kennebec?
2 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Access Health - Kennebec in Kennebec, 0.0 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Kennebec.
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. 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.