Health Profile of Mellette County, South Dakota
Mellette County Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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F
Mellette County Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in South Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Mellette County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.2 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 25.0% | 9.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 25.0% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Mellette County is 77.2 years, about 2.7 years shorter than the South Dakota average of 79.9 years. The uninsured rate is 25.0%, higher than the South Dakota average of 9.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 25.0% of residents, higher than the South Dakota average of 13.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
638 residents in Mellette County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 25 8 men · 17 women
- 75–84 87 49 men · 39 women
- 65–74 181 82 men · 99 women
- 50–64 345 170 men · 175 women
Younger residents
569 residents in Mellette County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 164 74 boys · 90 girls
- 7–12 177 86 boys · 91 girls
- 3–7 134 70 boys · 64 girls
- 0–3 94 48 boys · 47 girls
About 87 residents in Mellette County (4.5% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.2 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Mellette County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 17.0% | 10.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 7.0% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 11.4% | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 42.5% | 34.9% | 34.3% |
The rate of diabetes in Mellette County is about 61% higher than in South Dakota. The rate of heart disease in Mellette County is about 46% higher than in South Dakota. The rate of obesity in Mellette County is about 22% higher than in South Dakota.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Mellette County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 32.7% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.9% | 18.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 35.8% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Mellette County is about 64% higher than in South Dakota. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Mellette County is about 42% higher than in South Dakota.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 4,532 cigarettes a day, 135,967 a month, or 1.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 49,854 minutes a day and 18.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mellette County is 77.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.45 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Mellette County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 3.97 | 4.61 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 4.0 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Mellette County is very good — well within WHO health guidelines, with minimal health risk from air pollution.
Mellette County, SD Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Mellette County, SD is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 1,943 residents against a local median of 4,313. Where Mellette County, SD breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 35% above the local median of 18.5% at 25.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 23.9% on uninsured, so Mellette County, SD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mellette County, SD has the 4th lowest uninsured of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mellette County, SD | 1,943 | 77.2 yrs #4/5 | 25.0% #4/5 | 42.5% #4/5 |
| Todd County, SD | 9,243 | 74.7 yrs | 22.8% | 47.1% |
| Stanley County, SD | 3,015 | 80.9 yrs | 3.4% | 34.2% |
| Jackson County, SD | 2,802 | 80.2 yrs | 27.4% | 37.1% |
| Tripp County, SD | 5,611 | 80.6 yrs | 14.1% | 37.4% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mellette County, South Dakota has an overall health index grade of F, making it worse than South Dakota, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Mellette County, South Dakota.
How healthy is Mellette County, South Dakota?
Mellette County, South Dakota has a Map AI Health Index grade of F, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an F grade means residents face significantly worse health outcomes than the U.S. average.
Is Mellette County, South Dakota one of the healthiest counties in South Dakota?
Mellette County ranks 60th healthiest out of 62 counties in South Dakota by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Mellette County, South Dakota?
People in Mellette County, South Dakota can expect to live 77.2 years on average, 2.7 years shorter than the South Dakota average of 79.9.
How many people lack health insurance in Mellette County, South Dakota?
25.0% of residents in Mellette County, South Dakota have no health insurance, about 1 in 4 people, 16.0 points above the South Dakota rate of 9.0%.
How common is obesity in Mellette County, South Dakota?
42.5% of adults in Mellette County, South Dakota are classified as obese, about 1 in 2, 7.6 points above the South Dakota rate of 34.9%.
What health issue is more common in Mellette County, South Dakota than elsewhere?
Compared with South Dakota as a whole, smoking stands out most: the adult rate here is 32.7%, about 64% higher than the South Dakota rate of 19.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Mellette County, South Dakota go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 4,532 cigarettes a day, 135,967 a month, or 1.7 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 49,854 minutes a day and 18.2 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Mellette County is 77.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.45 lifetimes a year.
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