Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Forest City is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Forest City trails North Carolina on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Forest City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forest City
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Forest City
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.1%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.5%), vs 3.6% across North Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.5%, vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Forest City runs above North Carolina on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Forest City adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.8%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Forest City is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Forest City is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
More Forest City adults live with a disability
43.1% of adults live with a disability, vs 32% across North Carolina. The biggest difference is vision loss: 9.5% vs 5.3%. Disability ↓
Forest City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Forest City is healthier than 4%. Against the 1,340 towns with similar household incomes ($27K–$44K), it’s healthier than 35%. 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 Forest City’s likely range.
What’s behind Forest City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest City is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns, #278 of 289 in North Carolina. All seven of Forest City’s estimates fall in the lowest 10% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 21% of adults, against 13.5% across North Carolina and 11.8% 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). Forest City’s median household income is $35,524; among the 1,340 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($27K–$44K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Forest City adults…
Forest City runs above NC on 7 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forest City adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Care in and near Forest City
No hospital or community health center in Forest City 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 Forest City; ≈ 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 Forest City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Forest City adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Forest City runs above North Carolina.
1 in 3 Forest City 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.
26.8% of Forest City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Forest City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City | D− | 42.7% | 16.9% | 21% | CDC place |
| Spindale | D | 42.7% | 16.3% | 21.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Forest City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forest City is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 19; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Forest City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forest City | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.3%25.9–33 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.7–20 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.7–22.5 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%34.8–51.4 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.9%14.8–19.3 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 44%39.7–48.6 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%33.7–42.5 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%29–36.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.2%10.8–13.8 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.1%10.7–13.7 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.5%5–6.1 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23%19–27 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21%18.1–24.3 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.8%29.8–40.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.6%10.3–15.3 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.2%29.3–43 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15%12.7–17.4 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.3–83.1 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.6%46.3–54.4 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.4–86.5 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%75.8–81.2 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62%56.1–67 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.6%64.5–80.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.3%23.5–31.6 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.9%28.6–39.5 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.4%20.7–28.3 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27%23.5–30.8 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.9%16.4–21.6 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.3%12.5–16.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.9%12.2–15.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.8%23.3–30.4 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.1%38.4–48.4 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.3%19.8–25.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.4%18.1–23.1 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.1%8.9–11.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.6%12.1–15.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 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 Forest City
Is Forest City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest City is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #278 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Forest City?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.8% and 51.4%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forest City?
Rutherford Regional Medical Center in Rutherfordton, 5.7 miles in a straight line from Forest City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Forest City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.7–17.4%), 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 Forest City 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 Forest City.
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.