Spearfish Post Office (Old) · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0Where Mountain Plains residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Mountain Plains, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mountain Plains. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mountain Plains
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Mountain Plains
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.2%), vs 9.2% across South Dakota. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (35.1%), vs 25.8% across South Dakota. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.2%, vs 6.8% across South Dakota. In all, Mountain Plains runs above South Dakota on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 39% of residents are 65 or older (South Dakota 18%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Mountain Plains, and more people treating it
38.9% of adults have high blood pressure (South Dakota 33.3%), but 81.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Mountain Plains’ likely range.
Out of every 100 Mountain Plains adults…
Mountain Plains runs above SD on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Mountain Plains is an older town: 39% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across South Dakota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Mountain Plains as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Mountain Plains adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
Care in and near Mountain Plains
No hospital or community health center in Mountain Plains 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 Mountain Plains; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Mountain Plains adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Mountain Plains does better than 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.
Mountain Plains and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spearfish | A− | 30.7% | 9.6% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Mountain Plains adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Mountain Plains
Why doesn’t Mountain Plains have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Mountain Plains.
What hospital is closest to Mountain Plains?
Monument Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital in Deadwood, 9.5 miles in a straight line from Mountain Plains’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Mountain Plains.
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.