Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Drexel is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Drexel differs from North Carolina on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Drexel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Drexel
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Drexel
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Cancer is also above the state: 10.4%, vs 7.9% across North Carolina. In all, Drexel runs above North Carolina on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Drexel adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Drexel
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.7%), vs 13.5% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
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 Drexel’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Drexel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Drexel is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 45% of U.S. towns); diabetes 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). Drexel’s median household income is $61,992; among the 9,399 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Drexel compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.2% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Drexel adults…
Drexel runs above NC on 8 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Drexel
No hospital or community health center in Drexel 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 Drexel; ≈ 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 Drexel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Drexel adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Drexel 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.
13.8% of Drexel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Drexel and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Drexel adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Drexel
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Drexel is better than North Carolina on 1 and worse on 12; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Drexel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Drexel | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.9%19.4–26.5 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.5–17.7 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.2–19.6 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.8%28.9–44.6 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.3%12.2–16.3 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.5%36.9–45.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%34.5–43.5 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.2%30.5–37.9 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.4–11.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%8.8–12.2 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%14.6–21.7 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%13.8–19.7 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29%23.9–34.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.5%10.9–16.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%27.3–40.6 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.9%8.6–13.3 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.2%77.7–84.2 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.7%56.7–64.4 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.5–89.3 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%77.3–82.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69%64.1–73.7 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.4%68.6–83.1 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27%23–30.8 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%27.1–37.6 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18–25.3 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.9%12.8–19 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%9.4–13.5 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.6–9.1 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.2–9.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.8%11–16.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.2%33–43.3 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19%16.1–21.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.7%14.4–19 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%8.9–11.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.4–5.8 | 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 Drexel
Is Drexel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Drexel is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Drexel?
CDC estimates 36.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 44.6%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Drexel?
Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals in Morganton, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Drexel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Drexel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–13.3%), 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 Drexel 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 Drexel.
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.