On CDC estimates, Glen Alpine is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Glen Alpine trails North Carolina on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Glen Alpine. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Glen Alpine
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Glen Alpine
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.3%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.3%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Stroke is also above the state: 4.4%, vs 3.6% across North Carolina. In all, Glen Alpine runs above North Carolina on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Glen Alpine
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.2%), vs 13.5% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
More Glen Alpine adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.9%), vs 23.8% 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 Glen Alpine’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Glen Alpine’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Glen Alpine is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 36% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Glen Alpine’s median household income is $69,697; among the 10,500 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$87K), it’s healthier than 17%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Glen Alpine adults…
Glen Alpine runs above NC on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Glen Alpine residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Glen Alpine
No hospital or community health center in Glen Alpine 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 Glen Alpine; ≈ 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 Glen Alpine adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Glen Alpine adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Glen Alpine 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.
16.7% of Glen Alpine adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Glen Alpine and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Alpine | C− | 37.9% | 14.1% | 19.2% | CDC place |
| Morganton | C− | 38.4% | 14.3% | 17.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Glen Alpine adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Glen Alpine
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Glen Alpine is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Glen Alpine’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Glen Alpine | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.9%20.1–28.1 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.4–18 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16–21.1 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%30–46.1 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12–16.2 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.1%35.5–44.5 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%32.9–41.9 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.4%27.8–35 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.8–12.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.7–9.6 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.3%8.6–12.1 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%14.8–21.9 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.2%15.8–23.1 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.9%24.8–35.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.5–17.1 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.8%28.4–41.8 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.6%9.2–14.6 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%75.9–82.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.2%56.3–64 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%83.5–87.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%74.6–80.5 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.7%56.5–66.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%68.8–83.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.4%23.3–31.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%27.9–38.6 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%19.2–26.9 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.5%14.9–22.3 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13%10.7–15.4 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.6–10.7 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8–11.2 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.7%13.3–20.2 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.5%32.3–43 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.1%15.4–21.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.8%15–20.7 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%5.8–7.8 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.6%8.9–12.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.4–6 | 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 Glen Alpine
Is Glen Alpine a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Glen Alpine is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Glen Alpine?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 46.1%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Glen Alpine?
Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals in Morganton, 7.0 miles in a straight line from Glen Alpine’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Glen Alpine have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–14.6%), 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 Glen Alpine 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 Glen Alpine.
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.