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# Fact brief: Does SD have some of the most ‘ambulance deserts?’
- URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/fact-brief-does-sd-ambulance-deserts/
- Published: 2026-02-05T11:05:35.000Z
- Updated: 2026-02-05T11:05:34.000Z
- Description: An ambulance desert is places and people that are more than 25 minutes from an ambulance service.
- Author: Michael Klinski
- Tags: Fact briefs, #feature-2

## Yes.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png)

South Dakota is fourth in the nation with the percent of people who live in an ambulance desert, according to a 2023 study.

The state has 15.2% of its county populations in areas underserved by ambulances – behind Montana (27.8%), New Mexico (19.6%) and Utah (19.1%). 

The study, completed in May 2023 by the Maine Rural Health Research Center and the Rural Health Research and Policy Centers, defines an ambulance desert as places and people that are more than 25 minutes from an ambulance service.

South Dakota is among eight states that have fewer than three ambulances per 1,000 square miles. While the state is toward the top with ambulance stations per 100,000 people, its geographic size and small population puts it toward the top for rural areas facing a lack of services.

The state Legislature is considering a bill that would create a task force to study classifying emergency medical services as "essential.” As it stands the state is not required to provide or fund EMS. 

*This fact brief responds to conversations such as* [*this one*](https://www.reddit.com/r/SouthDakota/comments/1qut268/south%5Fdakota%5Flawmakers%5Fnot%5Fready%5Fto%5Fcall/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)*.*

### **Source**

KELO-TV, [South Dakota Senate advances EMS funding study bill](https://www.keloland.com/keloland-com-original/south-dakota-senate-advances-ems-funding-study-bill/?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Maine Rural Health Research Center and Rural Health Research and Policy Centers, [Ambulance Deserts study (2023)](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/berkshireeagle.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/a6/da6ea058-eeec-11ef-9b58-670395dc4727/67b61efc51c3b.pdf.pdf?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

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[Share your thoughts on this story](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTmGFf24Uhwiwd%5FndSxHkv6oBGSAy1LxF9BbwRbhBK5KflA/viewform?usp=sf%5Flink&ref=sdnewswatch.org)

*This story was produced by *South Dakota News Watch*, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at* [*sdnewswatch.org*](http://sdnewswatch.org/?ref=sdnewswatch.org) *and* [*sign up for an email*](https://www.sdnewswatch.org/email/) *to get stories when they're published. *Contact Michael Klinski* at michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org.*