On CDC estimates, Bethlehem is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
Bethlehem differs from North Carolina on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bethlehem. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bethlehem
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Bethlehem
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.1%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. COPD is also above the state: 8.7%, vs 7.1% across North Carolina. In all, Bethlehem runs above North Carolina on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Bethlehem adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the North Carolina figure falls outside Bethlehem’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Bethlehem’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethlehem is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, #140 of 289 in North Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 69% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 44%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bethlehem’s median household income is $87,795; among the 10,171 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($66K–$110K), it’s healthier than 52%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Bethlehem adults…
Bethlehem runs above NC on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Bethlehem is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bethlehem as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.1% of Bethlehem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Bethlehem
No hospital or community health center in Bethlehem itself. These are the nearest.
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 Bethlehem; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Bethlehem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Bethlehem adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
3 in 10 Bethlehem adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Bethlehem and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem | B | 34.6% | 12.5% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| St. Stephens | B− | 37.7% | 12.5% | 15% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bethlehem adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bethlehem
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bethlehem is better than North Carolina on 5 and worse on 4; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Bethlehem’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bethlehem | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.1%16.1–22.5 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12–16.1 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%13.9–18.1 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%26.6–43.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.6–14.6 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.6%35.1–44.3 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40%35.3–44.8 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%28.7–36.5 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.3–12.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.1–9.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.3–10.3 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.3–14.2 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%11.9–17.5 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.9%19.4–28.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.8–17.6 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%25.9–39.4 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7–11 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%77.6–84.3 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.8%59.9–67.5 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.1%87.4–90.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.8–82.8 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%62.9–73 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%67.8–82.8 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.4–29.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%25.7–36.1 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.5%17.3–24.4 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.4–14.2 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.8%7.3–10.7 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.9–6.9 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.5–7.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%7.3–11.2 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.8%29.1–38.9 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.8%13.3–18.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.3–16.7 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.2–10.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.3–5.8 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.1–9.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.4–4.7 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the North Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bethlehem
Is Bethlehem a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethlehem is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #140 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 52%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bethlehem?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.6% and 43.3%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bethlehem?
Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, 5.9 miles in a straight line from Bethlehem’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bethlehem have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–11%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bethlehem more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bethlehem.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.