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≈ B+Health Grade
Health in Foscoe · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Foscoe is healthier than 97%

Foscoe differs from North Carolina on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 2 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Foscoe. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Foscoe

Foscoe is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Foscoe is healthier than 72%. Against the 5,491 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 97%. Health Grade ↓

Cancer runs high in Foscoe

1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.2%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Fewer Foscoe adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

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 Foscoe’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Foscoe’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Foscoe is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 77% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 54%.

B+Self-rated health17.2% · NC 19% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress12.8% · NC 12.7% · U.S. 13%
A−Mental distress15.4% · NC 16.5% · U.S. 15.9%
BObesity34.6% · NC 35.1% · U.S. 32.9%
B−Diabetes11.8% · NC 12% · U.S. 12%
B+Smoking12.8% smoke · NC 13.5% · U.S. 11.8%
A−Exercise21.3% · NC 23.8% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 72%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $37K–$62K (5,491)Healthier than 97%

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). Foscoe’s median household income is $49,243; among the 5,491 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 97%, more than its income alone would suggest.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Foscoe could be anywhere from C to A. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Foscoe adults…

Foscoe runs above NC on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Foscoe adults have had cancer
North Carolina: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9.2–11.4%
Better than NCWorseAbout the sameNorth Carolina
Why age matters here

Foscoe is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Foscoe as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Foscoe28%
North Carolina17%
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 10
Foscoe adults worry about having enough food
10.3% · NC 15.2%
Better than NC
1 in 12
Foscoe adults worry about keeping their housing
8.3% · NC 12.2%
Better than NC
1 in 18
Foscoe adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.6% · NC 8.1%
Better than NC
1 in 16
Foscoe adults lack reliable transportation
6.1% · NC 8.4%
Better than NC

8.2% of Foscoe adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Getting care

Care in and near Foscoe

No hospital or community health center in Foscoe itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCharles A Cannon Jr Memorial HospitalLinville · 6.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWatauga Medical Center★★★★★ · 7.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHigh Country Community HealthBoone · 7.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.8 mi
Charles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital
Linville · not rated
ERRural critical access
7.3 mi
High Country Community Health
6 sites · nearest in Boone
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7.6 mi
Watauga Medical Center
Boone · ★★★★★
ER
16.7 mi
Gaston Family Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Collettsville
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
20.5 mi
Johnson County Community Hospital
Mountain City · not rated
ERRural critical access
≈21 mi
Mountain Home VA Medical Center
Mountain Home · ★★★★★
ERFor veterans
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Foscoe itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Foscoe itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Foscoe itself

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 Foscoe; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina

Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.

Get no exercise 21.3%NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.9%NC 34.2%
Binge drink 15.6%NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettes 12.8%NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Foscoe, betterFoscoe, worseAbout the sameNorth Carolina
Where Foscoe gets moving

1.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Foscoe adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.

81%Yearly checkupNC 80%
67%Dentist visitNC 64%
90%Cholesterol checkNC 88%
70%Colon screeningNC 66%
77%MammogramNC 79%
79%Taking BP medsNC 77%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Foscoe 8% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Foscoe adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Foscoe does better than North Carolina.

3 in 10Foscoe adults feel lonely
29.6% · NC 32.5% · About the same as NC
1 in 5Foscoe adults lack social or emotional support
18.4% · NC 22.5% · Better than NC
1 in 4Foscoe adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.8% · NC 24.2% · About the same as NC
1 in 6Foscoe adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · NC 16.5% · About the same as NC
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Foscoe adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Foscoe and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
FoscoeB+34.6%11.8%12.8%CDC place
Seven Devils————

Seven Devils: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

30.8%

of Foscoe adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13.9%
Thinking or memory13.4%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone7.4%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.6%
North Carolina

Every CDC estimate for Foscoe

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Foscoe is better than North Carolina on 7 and worse on 2; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Foscoe’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…FoscoeNCU.S.vs NC
Overall health
Fair or poor health17.2%14.4–20.419%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.8%11–14.912.7%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)15.4%13.4–17.716.5%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity34.6%26.6–43.435.1%32.9%About the same
Diabetes11.8%10.1–13.912%12%About the same
High blood pressure37.9%33.4–42.536.8%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)39.2%34.6–44.235.6%37.1%About the same
Arthritis30.8%27–34.626.9%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.5%9.2–1210.8%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10.2%9.2–11.47.9%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.4%6.4–8.56.6%6.4%About the same
COPD7.7%6.3–9.47.1%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.6%3.2–4.13.6%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)12.4%10–1513.9%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.8%10.2–15.713.5%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work21.3%17.2–25.923.8%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.6%12.7–18.914.7%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours29.9%24–36.634.2%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8%6.2–10.110.4%11%Better
Checkup in the past year81.2%77.9–84.580%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year67.2%63.6–70.663.6%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years89.5%87.8–91.287.5%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)79.2%76.2–8276.7%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)69.6%64.5–74.465.7%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)77.1%69.2–83.878.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression25.8%21.9–3024.2%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely29.6%24.7–34.932.5%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support18.4%15.3–21.922.5%23.6%Better
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food10.3%7.9–1315.2%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing8.3%6.6–10.112.2%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off5.6%4.6–6.78.1%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation6.1%5.1–7.38.4%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)8.2%6.1–10.612.3%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability30.8%26.1–35.832%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs13.9%11.5–16.514.2%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering13.4%11.3–15.614.8%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.3%7.2–9.57.3%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty4.5%3.9–5.25.3%5.4%Lower
Difficulty doing errands alone7.4%6.2–8.78.2%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.6%3.1–4.34%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 Foscoe

Is Foscoe a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Foscoe is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Foscoe?

CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.6% and 43.4%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Foscoe?

Charles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital in Linville, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Foscoe’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Foscoe have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–10.1%), 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 Foscoe more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Foscoe.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.