Health · Volga

Volga, SD health

Volga differs from South Dakota on 14 of 33 measures. It has fewer smokers (11.1% vs 15.2%) and fewer adults in fair or poor health (12.9% vs 17.3%).

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

Volga’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Volga is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns and 91% of South Dakota towns.

ASelf-rated healthA+Physical distressAMental distressC+ObesityADiabetesA-SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 88%
Less healthyHealthier
South Dakota towns we grade (87)Healthier than 91%
Towns with similar incomes, $59K–$99K (9,853)Healthier than 97%

About what its income would suggest. Volga does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Volga could be anywhere from B+ 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 Volga 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. Volga 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 Volga 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 Volga adults…

28 of every 100 Volga adults have high blood pressure
South Dakota: 33 in 100 · better · margin 25.2–31%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Volga, betterVolga, worseToo close to callSouth Dakota
Get no exerciseshare of adults 18.2% Volga
SD 24.1%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 29.8% Volga
SD 29.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 21.4% Volga
SD 18.8%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.1% Volga
SD 15.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76%
Yearly checkup
SD 77%
73%
Dentist visit
SD 69%
86%
Cholesterol check
SD 85%
70%
Colon screening
SD 66%
82%
Mammogram
SD 77%
75%
Taking BP meds
SD 76%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Volga 7.1% · South Dakota 1 in 11 (8.8%)
Mind & connection

How Volga adults are doing

1 in 4Volga adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.3% · South Dakota 21.2% · too close to call
1 in 7Volga adults are in frequent mental distress
14.3% · South Dakota 15.3% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

24.3%

of Volga adults live with a disability (South Dakota 30.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs9.1%
Thinking or memory12.1%
Hearing6.8%
Errands alone6.1%
Vision3.3%
Dressing or bathing2.5%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Volga

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

HNearest ERBrookings Health SystemBrookings · 7.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careRural Health CareBrookings · 7.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.7 mi
Brookings Health System
Brookings · ★★★★★
ER
7.7 mi
Rural Health Care
2 sites · nearest in Brookings
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.1 mi
Horizon Health Care
5 sites · nearest in Lake Preston
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24.7 mi
Madison Regional Health System
Madison · not rated
ERRural critical access
24.9 mi
Avera Flandreau Hospital - Cah
Flandreau · not rated
ERRural critical access
27.9 mi
Hendricks Community Hospital
Hendricks · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careVolga's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Brooking County · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careVolga's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.LI Brooking County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthVolga's county is a federal shortage area.Brookings County · need score 17 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 Volga. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 33 measures for Volga
MeasureVolgaMarginSouth Dakota
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure28%25.2–31%33.3%better
High cholesterol31%28–34%34%about the same
Obesity37.1%32.5–42%35.9%about the same
Arthritis21.7%19.4–24.2%25.8%better
Depression22.3%19.4–25.4%21.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)10.4%8.5–12.5%12.7%better
Asthma9.5%8.4–10.7%10.1%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.9%8–9.7%9.2%about the same
Diabetes8.9%7.7–10.4%11.7%better
COPD5%4.1–6%6.7%better
Heart disease5.3%4.6–6.1%6.8%better
Stroke2.7%2.3–3.1%3.5%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.1%8.6–13.9%15.2%better
Binge drink21.4%18.6–24.3%18.8%about the same
Get no exercise18.2%14.9–21.8%24.1%better
Sleep under 7 hours29.8%26.3–33.4%29.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup75.7%72.6–78.7%76.5%about the same
Dentist visit73%70.2–75.5%69.2%better
Cholesterol check85.5%83.1–87.6%84.8%about the same
Colon screening69.7%66.1–72.9%65.5%better
Mammogram81.8%76.7–86%76.6%better
Taking BP meds75%72.1–77.8%75.9%about the same
No health insurance7.1%5.6–9.1%8.8%about the same
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress14.3%12.2–16.5%15.3%about the same
Fair or poor health12.9%10.7–15.4%17.3%better
Frequent physical distress10.2%8.7–11.9%12.3%better
Disability
Any disability24.3%20.7–28%30.1%
Walking or climbing stairs9.1%7.4–10.9%12.9%
Thinking or memory12.1%10.1–14.2%13.7%
Hearing6.8%5.9–7.8%8.2%
Vision3.3%2.8–3.9%4.7%
Dressing or bathing2.5%2.1–3%3.5%
Errands alone6.1%5.1–7.2%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 Volga 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 Volga better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Volga 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01