Mingus Mill · Photo: David Dugan · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Cherokee is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Cherokee differs from North Carolina on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 26 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cherokee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cherokee
Dental care lags in Cherokee
48.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.6% across North Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 34.2% have lost all their teeth (North Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Cherokee
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (24.8%), vs 13.5% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Cherokee
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.4%), about twice the North Carolina rate. No reliable transportation (17.5% vs 8.4%) and utility shut-off threats (15.3% vs 8.1%) are higher too. 24.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% 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 Cherokee’s likely range.
What’s behind Cherokee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cherokee is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 16% of U.S. towns); smoking 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). Cherokee’s median household income is $55,972; among the 7,719 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 3%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Cherokee compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Cherokee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
3.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.5% of Cherokee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Cherokee adults…
Cherokee runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Cherokee residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Cherokee
No hospital or community health center in Cherokee 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 Cherokee; ≈ 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).
How Cherokee adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Cherokee runs above North Carolina.
2 in 5 Cherokee 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.
Cherokee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee | D− | 42.6% | 17.8% | 24.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cherokee adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cherokee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cherokee is better than North Carolina on 1 and worse on 26; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Cherokee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cherokee | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.9%26.9–33.2 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.9–20.6 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.9%19.9–24 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.6%36.6–49 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.8%16–19.7 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.4%37.2–43.6 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%32.6–39.1 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%27–32.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.9%12.6–15.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.2–7.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%8–9.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 34.2%30.5–38.4 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.8%22.1–27.9 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.8%28–36 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14%12–16.3 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.1%34.8–45.7 | 34.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.2%12.1–16.6 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.4%75.5–81.1 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.4%45.4–51.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.3–85.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.8%72.4–77 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.1%55–63.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%64.6–77.2 | 78.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%23.6–29.9 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38%34–42.3 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%26.1–32.9 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.4%27.6–35.3 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22.2%19.6–25.1 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.3%13.5–17.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.5%15.6–19.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.5%21.2–28.1 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.3%41.5–49.5 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.8%19.7–24.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.7%19.5–24.1 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.3%10.3–12.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.1%9.2–11.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.4%12–14.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 4% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Cherokee
Is Cherokee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cherokee is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 3%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cherokee?
CDC estimates 42.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.6% and 49%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cherokee?
Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority in Cherokee, 2.9 miles in a straight line from Cherokee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Cherokee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.1–16.6%), 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 Cherokee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cherokee.
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.