How healthy is Howard?
Howard differs from South Dakota on 17 of 33 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (8.2% vs 9.2%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (20.3% vs 12.7%).
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 57748. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Howard
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
Care in and near Howard
No hospital or community health center in Howard 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 Howard; ≈ 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Howard adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Dakota.
Out of every 100 Howard adults…
Howard runs below SD on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
How Howard adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Howard 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.
Howard and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Howard adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Not graded
Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 95 people are less certain, so we show Howard's figures without a grade.
All 33 CDC measures for Howard
| Measure | Howard | Likely range | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 36.8% | 33.7–39.9% | 33.3% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 35.4% | 32.5–38.4% | 34% | about the same |
| Obesity | 40.4% | 34.9–45.8% | 35.9% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 29% | 26.4–31.3% | 25.8% | worse |
| Depression | 23.1% | 20.3–26% | 21.2% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 20.3% | 17.5–23.1% | 12.7% | worse |
| Asthma | 12.9% | 11.6–14.3% | 10.1% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.2% | 7.6–8.9% | 9.2% | better |
| Diabetes | 15.6% | 13.8–17.3% | 11.7% | worse |
| COPD | 9.6% | 8.2–11.1% | 6.7% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5% | 6.8% | worse |
| Stroke | 4.6% | 4.1–5.1% | 3.5% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23.5% | 20.3–26.8% | 15.2% | worse |
| Binge drink | 17% | 14.8–19.3% | 18.8% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 31.3% | 27.1–35.5% | 24.1% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34% | 29.4–38.7% | 29.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 75.7% | 72.8–78.5% | 76.5% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 57% | 54–59.9% | 69.2% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 80.9% | 78.4–83.2% | 84.8% | worse |
| Colon screening | 62.6% | 58.5–66.5% | 65.5% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 70.7% | 62.9–77.7% | 76.6% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 74.8% | 72.4–77% | 75.9% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 11.5% | 9.3–14.3% | 8.8% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Frequent mental distress | 19.2% | 17.1–21.3% | 15.3% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 25.4% | 22.2–28.6% | 17.3% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 16.6% | 14.7–18.6% | 12.3% | worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.8% | 34.6–42.8% | 30.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 18.7% | 16.3–21% | 12.9% | |
| Thinking or memory | 18.5% | 16.3–20.9% | 13.7% | |
| Hearing | 9.8% | 8.8–10.8% | 8.2% | |
| Vision | 8.5% | 7.4–9.7% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 5.5% | 4.8–6.4% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 12.1% | 10.5–13.8% | 7.8% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Howard door to door.
Every figure has a likely range. When the South Dakota figure falls inside it, we don’t call Howard better or worse.
CDC publishes towns like Howard by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Howard by how much of its land each one covers.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Howard.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
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.