Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0Within South Dakota, Rapid Valley is healthier than 41% of graded towns
Rapid Valley differs from South Dakota on 5 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rapid Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rapid Valley
South Dakota sets a high bar
Rapid Valley is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but only 41% of the 35 South Dakota towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Rapid Valley doesn’t win on
22.6% of adults binge drink, vs 18.8% across South Dakota. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Rapid Valley
Rapid Valley runs below South Dakota on heart disease (5.5% vs 6.8%) and stroke (2.9% vs 3.5%). 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 Rapid Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Rapid Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rapid Valley is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #21 of 35 in South Dakota. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 81% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Rapid Valley’s median household income is $83,208; among the 10,513 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$104K), it’s healthier than 79%, about where its income would put it.
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 Rapid Valley adults…
Rapid Valley runs below SD on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Rapid Valley
No hospital or community health center in Rapid Valley 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 Rapid Valley; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Rapid Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
How Rapid Valley 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.
Rapid Valley and the towns around it
Rapid Valley’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Valley | B+ | 33.9% | 10.4% | 15.8% | CDC place |
| Rapid City | B | 34% | 11.8% | 15.9% | CDC place |
| Box Elder | B+ | 32.2% | 8.2% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Green Valley | B+ | 33.7% | 12% | 15.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rapid Valley adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rapid Valley
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rapid Valley is better than South Dakota on 4 and worse on 1; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Rapid Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rapid Valley | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.8%13.8–18.1 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.6–13.5 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.2–17.9 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.9%29.6–38.4 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%9–11.8 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%27.9–33.8 | 33.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.7%28.6–34.8 | 34% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%21.4–26.2 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.6 | 9.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.9%5.2–6.8 | 6.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.4–12.5 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.8%13.5–18.4 | 15.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.1%19–25.5 | 24.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 22.6%19.7–25.6 | 18.8% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%29.4–37.5 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%7–10.2 | 8.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.2%70.9–77.2 | 76.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.5%64.4–70.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.9%82.9–86.8 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.4%70.4–76.4 | 75.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.3%60.2–68.3 | 65.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.6%67.2–79.5 | 76.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%19.4–25.1 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.1%25.8–32.6 | 30.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.4%9.9–13 | 12.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.2–8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 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 Rapid Valley
Is Rapid Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rapid Valley is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #21 of 35 in South Dakota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 79%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rapid Valley?
CDC estimates 33.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 38.4%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rapid Valley?
Monument Health Rapid City Hospital in Rapid City, 4.5 miles in a straight line from Rapid Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rapid Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–10.2%), 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 Rapid Valley 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 Rapid Valley.
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.