On CDC estimates, Fairplains is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Fairplains trails North Carolina on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairplains. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairplains
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Fairplains
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.8%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.7%), vs 3.6% across North Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 10.2%, vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Fairplains runs above North Carolina on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fairplains is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Fairplains is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
More Fairplains adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.7%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
More Fairplains adults live with a disability
44% of adults live with a disability, vs 32% across North Carolina. The biggest difference is vision loss: 9.6% vs 5.3%. Disability ↓
Fairplains is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fairplains is healthier than 4%. Against the 2,009 towns with similar household incomes ($29K–$48K), it’s healthier than 26%. 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 Fairplains’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Fairplains’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairplains is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. All seven of Fairplains’ estimates fall in the lowest 12% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is physical distress: 18.5% of adults, against 12.7% across North Carolina and 13% nationally.
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). Fairplains’ median household income is $38,585; among the 2,009 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($29K–$48K), it’s healthier than 26%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Fairplains adults…
Fairplains runs above NC on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Fairplains is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Fairplains as about how healthy they are.
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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fairplains adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Care in and near Fairplains
No hospital or community health center in Fairplains 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 Fairplains; ≈ 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 Fairplains adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Fairplains adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Fairplains runs above North Carolina.
1 in 3 Fairplains 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.
24.8% of Fairplains adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Fairplains and the towns around it
Fairplains’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairplains | D− | 42.5% | 17.1% | 21.3% | CDC place |
| North Wilkesboro | C | 38.9% | 13.7% | 16.8% | CDC place |
| Mulberry | C+ | 36.9% | 13% | 16.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Fairplains
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairplains is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 20; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Fairplains’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairplains | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30%25.9–34.6 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16–21.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.2–22.3 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.5%34.2–51.4 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.1%14.8–19.6 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 44.2%39.9–48.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.9%35.4–44.5 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.3%29.8–37.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.3–13.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.8–9.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.2%9–11.6 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.8%10.8–14.9 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.7%5.1–6.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.8%18.3–25.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.3%17.7–24.9 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.7%29.1–40.8 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13%10.6–15.7 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%29.3–42.6 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.6%13.5–20.2 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%75.9–82.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.9%46.1–53.5 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%81.5–86.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.4–81.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.9%55.7–65.9 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.5%62.1–77.8 | 78.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.6%23.6–31.9 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%29.9–41.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%20.9–29 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.2%22–31 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.6%15–20.6 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%10.9–14.7 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.2%11.4–15.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.8%20.8–29.4 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44%38.4–49.7 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.1%19.8–26.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21%18.1–24.1 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11%9.6–12.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.6%8.5–11 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.7%11.8–15.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.3%6.4–8.5 | 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 Fairplains
Is Fairplains a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairplains is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 26%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fairplains?
CDC estimates 42.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.2% and 51.4%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairplains?
Wilkes Regional Medical Center in North Wilkesboro, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Fairplains’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairplains have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.5–20.2%), 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 Fairplains more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fairplains.
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.