Health · Parkston

Parkston, SD health

Parkston differs from South Dakota on 6 of 33 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (80.4% vs 75.9%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (17.8% vs 12.7%).

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

Parkston’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Parkston is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, and than 79% of towns with similar incomes.

BSelf-rated healthBPhysical distressAMental distressB+ObesityC+DiabetesB-SmokingB-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 63%
Less healthyHealthier
South Dakota towns we grade (87)Healthier than 41%
Towns with similar incomes, $53K–$88K (9,616)Healthier than 79%

Better than its income would suggest. Parkston 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, Parkston 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 Parkston 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. Parkston 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 Parkston 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 Parkston adults…

37 of every 100 Parkston adults have high blood pressure
South Dakota: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.8–42.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Parkston, betterParkston, worseToo close to callSouth Dakota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.6% Parkston
SD 24.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 28.6% Parkston
SD 29.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.4% Parkston
SD 18.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.6% Parkston
SD 15.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%
Yearly checkup
SD 77%
69%
Dentist visit
SD 69%
87%
Cholesterol check
SD 85%
67%
Colon screening
SD 66%
79%
Mammogram
SD 77%
80%
Taking BP meds
SD 76%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Parkston 8.1% · South Dakota 1 in 11 (8.8%)
Mind & connection

How Parkston adults are doing

1 in 5Parkston adults have been diagnosed with depression
20% · South Dakota 21.2% · too close to call
1 in 7Parkston adults are in frequent mental distress
14.1% · South Dakota 15.3% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

32.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.6%
Thinking or memory13.1%
Hearing10.7%
Errands alone8.4%
Vision5%
Dressing or bathing3.9%

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

Around Parkston

Parkston and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Parkston.

Susquehanna: 34.5% Liberty: 34.3% Starr: 35.9% Kulm: 34.8% Lincoln: 35.8% Milltown: 34.3% German: 34% Cross Plains: 36% Parkston: 33.7% Parkston Susquehanna Liberty Avera St. Benedict Health Center - Cah · Parkston · 0.5 mi · 5★ MedicareH
33.7%36%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 9towns on this map, healthiest first
Parkston33.7%
Liberty34.3%
Susquehanna34.5%
6 places to get careNearest ER 18.7 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 Parkston

1 hospital in Parkston, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERDouglas County Memorial Hospital-CahArmour · 18.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyAvera St. Benedict Health Center - Cah★★★★★ · 0.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careAccess Health - MitchellMitchell · 20.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.5 mi
Avera St. Benedict Health Center - Cah
Parkston · ★★★★★
Rural critical accessIn Parkston
18.7 mi
Douglas County Memorial Hospital-Cah
Armour · not rated
ERRural critical access
20.6 mi
Access Health - Mitchell
Mitchell · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
21.3 mi
Landmann Jungman Memorial Hospital Corporation
Scotland · not rated
ER
22.2 mi
Avera Queen of Peace
Mitchell · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
33.4 mi
Horizon Health Care
7 sites · nearest in Plankinton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careParkston is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careParkston is not a shortage area
! Mental healthParkston's county is a federal shortage area.Lewis and Clark Behavioral Health Services - MHCA 12 · need score 18 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 Parkston. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 33 measures for Parkston
MeasureParkstonMarginSouth Dakota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure37.2%32.8–42.1%33.3%about the same
High cholesterol36.3%31.9–41.1%34%about the same
Obesity33.7%25.9–42.8%35.9%about the same
Arthritis30.7%27–34.8%25.8%worse
Depression20%16.8–23.8%21.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17.8%14.6–21.4%12.7%worse
Asthma9.9%8.7–11.4%10.1%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11.9%10.6–13.3%9.2%worse
Diabetes12.7%10.7–15%11.7%about the same
COPD8%6.4–9.9%6.7%about the same
Heart disease8.7%7.4–10.2%6.8%worse
Stroke4.4%3.7–5.2%3.5%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.6%11.7–17.8%15.2%about the same
Binge drink16.4%13.4–19.8%18.8%about the same
Get no exercise25.6%20.4–31.5%24.1%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours28.6%22.6–35.2%29.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.1%74.3–81.6%76.5%about the same
Dentist visit69%65.4–72.5%69.2%about the same
Cholesterol check87%84.7–89.1%84.8%about the same
Colon screening67%61.9–71.9%65.5%about the same
Mammogram78.9%71.5–85.2%76.6%about the same
Taking BP meds80.4%77.4–83%75.9%better
No health insurance8.1%6–10.6%8.8%about the same
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress14.1%12.2–16.3%15.3%about the same
Fair or poor health18.1%14.8–22.2%17.3%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.3%11.3–15.7%12.3%about the same
Disability
Any disability32.6%27.6–38%30.1%
Walking or climbing stairs15.6%12.6–19%12.9%
Thinking or memory13.1%11–15.5%13.7%
Hearing10.7%9.2–12.5%8.2%
Vision5%4.1–6.2%4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.9%3.2–4.8%3.5%
Errands alone8.4%6.9–10.3%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 Parkston 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 Parkston better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Parkston 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.

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