Volga Auditorium · Photo: Jatakuck · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Volga is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Volga beats South Dakota on 14 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Volga. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Volga
Volga keeps up with checkups
It beats South Dakota on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73% vs 69.2%) and colon screening (69.7% vs 65.5%). Checkups ↓
COPD and diabetes are less common in Volga
Volga runs below South Dakota on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5% vs 6.7%), diabetes (8.9% vs 11.7%) and stroke (2.7% vs 3.5%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (South Dakota 18%). Conditions ↓
Volga is an active town
Only 18.2% 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 Volga’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Volga’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Volga is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 95% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 43%).
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). Volga’s median household income is $78,828; among the 10,813 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$99K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Volga adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
Out of every 100 Volga adults…
Volga runs below SD on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Volga residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across South Dakota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
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.
Care in and near Volga
No hospital or community health center in Volga 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 Volga; ≈ 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 Volga 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.
Volga and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volga | A | 37.1% | 8.9% | 11.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Volga adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Volga
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Volga is better than South Dakota on 14 and worse on 0; on the rest, the South Dakota figure falls inside Volga’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Volga | SD | U.S. | vs SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.9%10.7–15.4 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%8.7–11.9 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.2–16.5 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%32.5–42 | 35.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.7–10.4 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28%25.2–31 | 33.3% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31%28–34 | 34% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.7%19.4–24.2 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8–9.7 | 9.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%4.1–6 | 6.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.3–3.1 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.4%8.5–12.5 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%8.6–13.9 | 15.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.2%14.9–21.8 | 24.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21.4%18.6–24.3 | 18.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%26.3–33.4 | 29.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.6–9.1 | 8.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.7%72.6–78.7 | 76.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73%70.2–75.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.1–87.6 | 84.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%72.1–77.8 | 75.9% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.7%66.1–72.9 | 65.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.8%76.7–86 | 76.6% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19.4–25.4 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.3%20.7–28 | 30.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.1%7.4–10.9 | 12.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.1%10.1–14.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 8.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.8–3.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.1–7.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.1–3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Volga
Is Volga a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Volga is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Volga?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 42%, against 35.9% across South Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Volga?
Brookings Health System in Brookings, 7.7 miles in a straight line from Volga’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Volga have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–9.1%), 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 Volga more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Volga.
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.