Dallas Graded and High School · Photo: RoxylovesHistory · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Dallas is healthier than 65%
Dallas differs from North Carolina on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dallas. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dallas
Dallas is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Dallas is healthier than 40%. Against the 8,490 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 65%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Dallas
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.3%), vs 15.2% across North Carolina. Housing insecurity (16% vs 12.2%) and utility shut-off threats (10.6% vs 8.1%) are higher too. 16.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dallas has a community health center but no hospital
Gaston Family Health Services is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Caromont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia, 7.7 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Dallas’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Dallas’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dallas is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns, #185 of 289 in North Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 57% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Dallas’ median household income is $58,403; among the 8,490 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Dallas compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.5% of Dallas adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Dallas
1 community health center in Dallas, 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 Dallas; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Dallas adults…
Dallas runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
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 Dallas adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Dallas adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Dallas runs above North Carolina.
1 in 3 Dallas 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.
Dallas 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dallas adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dallas
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dallas is better than North Carolina on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Dallas’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dallas | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%18.4–23.9 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12–15.3 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.6–21 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.6%30–45 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.2–13.5 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.1–39.4 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%30–38.4 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3%23–29.3 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.1–13 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.4–17.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%13.7–18.6 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.1%21.7–30.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%12.7–18.8 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%32.5–45.5 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.5%10.5–14.6 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%74.6–81.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.1%55.4–63 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%83.6–87.6 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.8%71.5–77.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63%57.9–68.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%70.5–84.1 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.4%22.3–30.2 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%29.5–40 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%20.3–27.7 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.3%16.6–22.2 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16%13.9–18.3 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.6%9.2–12.1 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.3%9.1–11.7 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.5%14.1–19.1 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.4%29–37.6 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%12.7–16.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.2–19.4 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.4–6.6 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–4.9 | 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 Dallas
Is Dallas a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dallas is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #185 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 Dallas?
CDC estimates 37.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 45%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dallas?
Caromont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia, 7.7 miles in a straight line from Dallas’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dallas have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.5–14.6%), 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 Dallas more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dallas.
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.