Health · Clark

Clark, SD health

Clark differs from South Dakota on 8 of 33 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (80.1% vs 75.9%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (11.3% vs 8.8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Clark
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Clark’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Clark is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, and than 80% of towns with similar incomes.

B-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressA-Mental distressB+ObesityC+DiabetesC+SmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 53%
Less healthyHealthier
South Dakota towns we grade (87)Healthier than 24%
Towns with similar incomes, $44K–$73K (7,939)Healthier than 80%

Better than its income would suggest. Clark is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Clark could be anywhere from C− to A−.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in South Dakota ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Clark with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Clark uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Clark compares with South Dakota

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Clark adults…

37 of every 100 Clark adults have high blood pressure
South Dakota: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.2–40.9%

Bars show Clark; the black tick is South Dakota. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Clark, betterClark, worseToo close to callSouth Dakota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.1% Clark
SD 24.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 29.8% Clark
SD 29.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.9% Clark
SD 18.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.6% Clark
SD 15.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Clark adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.

77%
Yearly checkup
SD 77%
65%
Dentist visit
SD 69%
86%
Cholesterol check
SD 85%
69%
Colon screening
SD 66%
75%
Mammogram
SD 77%
80%
Taking BP meds
SD 76%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Clark 11.3% · South Dakota 1 in 11 (8.8%)
Mind & connection

How Clark adults are doing

1 in 5Clark adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.1% · South Dakota 21.2% · too close to call
1 in 7Clark adults are in frequent mental distress
14.6% · South Dakota 15.3% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

34.1%

of Clark adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.3%
Thinking or memory13.9%
Hearing10.5%
Errands alone8.8%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing4.1%

Black tick: South Dakota. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Clark

Clark and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health.

Day: 33.9% Lincoln: 33.9% Mount Pleasant: 34.4% Merton: 33.6% Elrod: 34.5% Logan: 34.2% Darlington: 33.9% Garfield: 33.9% Clark: 33.6% Clark Day Lincoln
33.6%34.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 9towns on this map, healthiest first
Clark33.6%
Day33.9%
Lincoln33.9%
6 places to get careNearest ER 30.2 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Clark

No hospital or community health center in Clark itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERPrairie Lakes Healthcare SystemWatertown · 30.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCommunity Memorial Hospital★★★★★ · 38.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHorizon Health CareDe Smet · 35.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
30.2 mi
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System
Watertown · ★★★★★
ER
33.3 mi
Sanford Hospital Webster - Cah
Webster · not rated
ERRural critical access
35.2 mi
Avera De Smet Memorial Hospital - Cah
De Smet · not rated
ERRural critical access
35.3 mi
Horizon Health Care
7 sites · nearest in De Smet
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
38.5 mi
Community Memorial Hospital
Redfield · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
61.9 mi
Access Health - Brookings
Brookings · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
! Primary careClark's county is a federal shortage area.Clark County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careClark's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Clark County · need score 13 of 25
! Mental healthClark's county is a federal shortage area.Human Services Agency - MHCA 5A · need score 19 of 25

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 Clark. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 33 measures for Clark
MeasureClarkMarginSouth Dakota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36.5%32.2–40.9%33.3%about the same
High cholesterol37%32.6–41.6%34%about the same
Obesity33.6%25.6–41.8%35.9%about the same
Arthritis30.1%26.6–33.7%25.8%worse
Depression20.1%16.8–23.5%21.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)15.1%12–18.2%12.7%about the same
Asthma9.9%8.7–11.2%10.1%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11.4%10.2–12.8%9.2%worse
Diabetes13.1%11.2–15.1%11.7%about the same
COPD8.3%6.9–10%6.7%worse
Heart disease8.6%7.5–9.9%6.8%worse
Stroke4.4%3.8–5.1%3.5%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.6%12.7–18.5%15.2%about the same
Binge drink16.9%13.9–20.2%18.8%about the same
Get no exercise28.1%22.8–33.7%24.1%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours29.8%23.8–35.9%29.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup77.2%73.4–80.7%76.5%about the same
Dentist visit64.5%60.5–68%69.2%worse
Cholesterol check86.4%84.2–88.5%84.8%about the same
Colon screening68.7%63.6–73.3%65.5%about the same
Mammogram75.3%66.5–82.1%76.6%about the same
Taking BP meds80.1%77.3–82.7%75.9%better
No health insurance11.3%8.9–14.4%8.8%worse
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress14.6%12.7–16.6%15.3%about the same
Fair or poor health19.4%16.2–23%17.3%about the same
Frequent physical distress14%12.1–16.2%12.3%about the same
Disability
Any disability34.1%29.2–39.4%30.1%
Walking or climbing stairs16.3%13.7–19.3%12.9%
Thinking or memory13.9%11.9–16.2%13.7%
Hearing10.5%9.2–11.9%8.2%
Vision5.4%4.6–6.5%4.7%
Dressing or bathing4.1%3.5–4.9%3.5%
Errands alone8.8%7.4–10.4%7.8%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Clark door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the South Dakota figure falls inside it, we don't call Clark better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Clark directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Dakota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

We left the porch light on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Clark, SDView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map
Loading boundary…

Clark is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01