Health Profile of Potter County, South Dakota
Potter 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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B
Potter County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Potter County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 80.2 | 79.9 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 4.3% | 9.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 12.0% | 13.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Potter County is 80.2 years, about 0.3 years longer than the South Dakota average of 79.9 years. The uninsured rate is 4.3%, lower than the South Dakota average of 9.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 12.0% of residents, lower than the South Dakota average of 13.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
1,179 residents in Potter County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 132 33 men · 99 women
- 75–84 215 98 men · 118 women
- 65–74 313 159 men · 154 women
- 50–64 520 262 men · 257 women
Younger residents
480 residents in Potter County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 145 64 boys · 81 girls
- 7–12 149 74 boys · 75 girls
- 3–7 111 62 boys · 48 girls
- 0–3 76 46 boys · 30 girls
About 232 residents in Potter County (9.7% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 80.2 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Potter County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.6% | 10.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 9.7% | 7.6% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 9.0% | 7.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.1% | 34.9% | 34.3% |
The rate of cancer in Potter County is about 27% higher than in South Dakota. The rate of heart disease in Potter County is about 15% higher than in South Dakota.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Potter County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 15.8% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.9% | 18.8% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 24.6% | 25.3% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Potter County is about 21% lower than in South Dakota.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 3,004 cigarettes a day, 90,106 a month, or 1.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 33,039 minutes a day and 12.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Potter County is 80.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.29 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 | Potter County | South Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 4.36 | 4.61 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 4.4 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Potter County is very good — well within WHO health guidelines, with minimal health risk from air pollution.
Potter County, SD Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Potter County, SD is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 2,388 residents against a local median of 1,593. Where Potter County, SD breaks from the counties next to it is uninsured, sitting 36% below the local median of 6.6% at 4.3%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.8% on uninsured, so Potter County, SD sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Potter County, SD has the lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potter County, SD | 2,388 | 80.2 yrs #3/6 | 4.3% #1/6 | 33.1% #4/6 |
| Walworth County, SD | 5,271 | 78.6 yrs | 10.6% | 32.3% |
| Sully County, SD | 1,526 | 79.4 yrs | 6.6% | 34.0% |
| Hughes County, SD | 17,664 | 79.9 yrs | 6.7% | 35.1% |
| Hyde County, SD | 1,191 | 80.8 yrs | 6.1% | 31.5% |
| Campbell County, SD | 1,593 | 81.6 yrs | 4.8% | 31.7% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Potter County, South Dakota has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than South Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Potter County, South Dakota.
How healthy is Potter County, South Dakota?
Potter County, South Dakota has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Potter County, South Dakota one of the healthiest counties in South Dakota?
Potter County ranks 31st 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 Potter County, South Dakota?
People in Potter County, South Dakota can expect to live 80.2 years on average, about the same as the South Dakota average of 79.9.
How many people lack health insurance in Potter County, South Dakota?
4.3% of residents in Potter County, South Dakota have no health insurance, about 1 in 23 people, 4.7 points below the South Dakota rate of 9.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Potter County, South Dakota?
33.1% of adults in Potter County, South Dakota are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.8 points below the South Dakota rate of 34.9%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Potter County, South Dakota go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 3,004 cigarettes a day, 90,106 a month, or 1.1 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 33,039 minutes a day and 12.1 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Potter County is 80.2 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.00 lifetimes a day, or 0.29 lifetimes a year.
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