Photo: Warren LeMay · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Cullowhee is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Cullowhee differs from North Carolina on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cullowhee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cullowhee
Mental distress runs high in Cullowhee
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (26.1%), vs 16.5% across North Carolina. Depression is above the state too: 33.7%, vs 24.2% across North Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Cullowhee
Cullowhee runs below North Carolina on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (2.1% vs 7.9%), diabetes (3.6% vs 12%) and stroke (1.2% vs 3.6%). A young population is part of it: only 3% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Cullowhee doesn’t win on
20.4% of adults binge drink, vs 14.7% across North Carolina, even though fewer of them smoke. Habits ↓
Cullowhee is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Cullowhee is healthier than 83%. Against the 1,423 towns with similar household incomes ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 100%. Health Grade ↓
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 Cullowhee’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Cullowhee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cullowhee is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #63 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). Cullowhee’s median household income is $35,929; among the 1,423 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 100%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Cullowhee adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Cullowhee runs above North Carolina.
4 in 10 Cullowhee 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.
Out of every 100 Cullowhee adults…
Cullowhee runs below NC on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 3% of Cullowhee residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
6.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Cullowhee
2 community health centers in Cullowhee, 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 Cullowhee; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Cullowhee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.1% of Cullowhee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Cullowhee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cullowhee | A− | 27.7% | 3.6% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Forest Hills | — | — | — | — |
Forest Hills: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cullowhee adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cullowhee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cullowhee is better than North Carolina on 10 and worse on 10; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Cullowhee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cullowhee | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%11.4–20.8 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.5%7.3–12 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 26.1%20.3–30.7 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%20.8–35.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 3.6%3–4.2 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 15.7%13.1–18.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 17.6%14.9–20.6 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 9.1%7.7–10.6 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12%10.2–14 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 2.1%1.9–2.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 2.2%1.9–2.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.6%2.8–4.6 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.2%1–1.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.5%16.3–23 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%6.1–12.6 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.9%13.6–25.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.4%16.5–24.7 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.2%26.5–40.1 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%7.3–16.3 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.7%65.3–75.4 | 80% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.5%52.4–60.7 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 68.4%61.2–74 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 42.2%39.6–45 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.7%59.2–69.7 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%69.5–83.8 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 33.7%28.3–39.1 | 24.2% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 44.4%37.6–51.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%17.7–28.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.4%12.1–27.5 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%8.5–16.5 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%5.7–10 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.4%9.6–18 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.1%8.3–20.5 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%26.3–42.7 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 5.8%4.7–7.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 24.2%17.6–30.6 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.9%3.3–4.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%3.7–6.3 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%7.7–14.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.1%1.7–2.6 | 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 Cullowhee
Is Cullowhee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cullowhee is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #63 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 100%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cullowhee?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.8% and 35.3%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cullowhee?
Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, 5.3 miles in a straight line from Cullowhee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cullowhee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.3–16.3%), 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 Cullowhee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cullowhee.
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.