Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Emma is healthier than 75%
Emma differs from North Carolina on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Emma. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Emma
Making ends meet is harder in Emma
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24.4%), vs 15.2% across North Carolina. Housing insecurity (19% vs 12.2%) and utility shut-off threats (12.1% vs 8.1%) are higher too. 20% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Emma has no health insurance
20.5% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.4% across North Carolina. Checkups ↓
Emma is behind on routine checkups
It trails North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (74.8% vs 80%), dentist visits (56.6% vs 63.6%), cholesterol checks (83.2% vs 87.5%) and colon screening (60.3% vs 65.7%). Checkups ↓
Emma is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Emma is healthier than 28%. Against the 3,645 towns with similar household incomes ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 75%. 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 Emma’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Emma’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Emma is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns, #209 of 289 in North Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 45% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Emma’s median household income is $43,907; among the 3,645 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 75%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Emma compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.2% (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.
20% of Emma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Emma adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Emma adults…
Emma runs below NC on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Emma
No hospital or community health center in Emma 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 Emma; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Emma adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Emma 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.
Emma 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 Emma adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Emma
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Emma is better than North Carolina on 2 and worse on 14; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Emma’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Emma | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.3%21.2–27.6 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.1–16.8 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.4–20.8 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%31–44.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.4%10.8–14.1 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.8–38.3 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.4%28.6–36.4 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.8%21.1–26.5 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.6%6.7–8.7 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.5%13.6–19.7 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%14.7–19.9 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.8%24.4–33.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%12.8–18.6 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%27.4–38 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 20.5%17.2–24 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.8%70.9–78.4 | 80% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.6%53.1–60.2 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.2%81–85.3 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.8%68.6–74.8 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.3%55.4–65 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%68.1–81.6 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.8–29 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.6%28.7–39 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21.1–28.8 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.4%21.1–28.3 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19%16.5–22 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%10.5–13.9 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.3%10.8–14.2 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20%17–23.3 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.5%32.1–41.1 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.6–17.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19%16.7–21.4 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%8.9–11.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.5–5.6 | 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 Emma
Is Emma a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Emma is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #209 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 Emma?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31% and 44.5%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Emma?
Adventhealth Hendersonville in Hendersonville, 15.8 miles in a straight line from Emma’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Emma have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 20.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17.2–24%), 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 Emma 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 Emma.
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.