Where Lower Brule residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Lower Brule, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lower Brule. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lower Brule
Dental care lags in Lower Brule
35.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 69.2% across South Dakota. Among those 65 and older, 51.9% have lost all their teeth (South Dakota 12.7%). Lower Brule’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Lower Brule
2 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (40.4%), more than twice the South Dakota rate. Habits ↓
More Lower Brule adults get no exercise
42.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.1% across South Dakota. Habits ↓
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 Lower Brule’s likely range.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lower Brule adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
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.
Out of every 100 Lower Brule adults…
Lower Brule runs below SD on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lower Brule
No hospital or community health center in Lower Brule 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 Lower Brule; ≈ 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).
How Lower Brule adults are doing
On 2 of 2 measures, Lower Brule runs above South Dakota.
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.
Lower Brule 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 Lower Brule adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Questions about health in Lower Brule
Why doesn’t Lower Brule have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Lower Brule.
What hospital is closest to Lower Brule?
Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center in Chamberlain, 23.7 miles in a straight line from Lower Brule’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 Lower Brule?
1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Horizon Health - Fort Thompson in Fort Thompson, 7.7 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lower Brule.
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.