Photo: Jeremy Mikkola from Boone, NC · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Boone is healthier than 99%
Boone differs from North Carolina on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Boone. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Boone
Mental distress runs high in Boone
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (26.1%), vs 16.5% across North Carolina. Depression is above the state too: 33.5%, vs 24.2% across North Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Boone is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Boone is healthier than 69%. Against the 572 towns with similar household incomes ($23K–$38K), it’s healthier than 99%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Boone
1 in 6 adults lack reliable transportation (16.4%), about twice the North Carolina rate. Food insecurity (24.1% vs 15.2%) and utility shut-off threats (11.1% vs 8.1%) are higher too. 20.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Boone
Boone runs below North Carolina on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (3.1% vs 7.9%), diabetes (5.4% vs 12%) and arthritis (12.8% vs 26.9%). A young population is part of it: only 7% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Boone’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Boone’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boone is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns, #111 of 289 in North Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Boone’s median household income is $30,065; among the 572 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($23K–$38K), it’s healthier than 99%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Boone adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Boone runs above North Carolina.
2 in 5 Boone 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.5% of Boone adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Boone adults…
Boone runs below NC on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of Boone residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Boone
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Boone, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Boone; ≈ 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.
15 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Boone adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Boone and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone | B+ | 32% | 5.4% | 11.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Boone adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Boone
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Boone is better than North Carolina on 8 and worse on 14; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Boone’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Boone | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16.2–22.7 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.7–13.2 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 26.1%22.7–29.8 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%24.4–40.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 20.7%17.9–24.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 21.2%18.3–24.5 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 12.8%11.2–14.6 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.5%11–14.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.3%3–3.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.5–5.9 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.8%1.7–2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.3%16.8–24 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.5%9.3–13.9 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23%18.5–28.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.1–22.4 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.5%27.1–40.5 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.8%9.6–14.6 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%68.7–77.5 | 80% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%52–60.1 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 69.6%65.5–73.6 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 51.8%49.6–54.1 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.1%56.6–67.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.9%65.8–81.1 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 33.5%29–38.5 | 24.2% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 41.8%35.8–47.5 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%18.6–26.1 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.1%19.8–28.7 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.5%12.9–18.3 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.1%9.3–12.9 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.4%13.9–19 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.5%16.8–24.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.8%32.1–43.8 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.6%7.4–10 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 25.2%21.5–29 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.5–5.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.5 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13%11–15.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Boone
Is Boone a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boone is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #111 of 289 in North Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Boone?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.4% and 40.3%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Boone?
Watauga Medical Center in Boone, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Boone’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Boone have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.6–14.6%), 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 Boone 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 Boone.
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.