Photo: Harrison Keely · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Highlands is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Highlands differs from North Carolina on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Highlands. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highlands
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Highlands
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (14.9%), about twice the North Carolina rate. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.1%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Arthritis is also above the state: 38.4%, vs 26.9% across North Carolina. In all, Highlands runs above North Carolina on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 47% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Highlands is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Highlands is healthier than 70%. Against the 10,628 towns with similar household incomes ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 86%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Highlands, and more people treating it
46.2% of adults have high blood pressure (North Carolina 36.8%), but 85.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Highlands keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.6% vs 80%) and dentist visits (70.1% vs 63.6%). Checkups ↓
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 Highlands’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Highlands’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highlands is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 22%).
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). Highlands’ median household income is $71,509; among the 10,628 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Highlands adults…
Highlands runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Highlands is an older town: 47% 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 Highlands as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Highlands adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Care in and near Highlands
No hospital or community health center in Highlands 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 Highlands; ≈ 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.
2.1 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
How Highlands adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Highlands does better than North Carolina.
1 in 4 Highlands 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.
6.3% of Highlands adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Highlands and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands | B+ | 31% | 14.1% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highlands adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highlands
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highlands is better than North Carolina on 17 and worse on 7; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Highlands’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highlands | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.3%14.7–22.1 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%11.5–16.2 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.4–14.2 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31%23.3–38.9 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%11.8–16.5 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 46.2%40.9–50.9 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.6%40.2–50.4 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.4%33.9–42.7 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.6–11.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 14.9%13.4–16.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.1%8.7–11.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.2%7.3–11.3 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.1%8.2–12.3 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8–13.1 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.2%18.2–28.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11%8.8–13.3 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.3%21.7–33.5 | 34.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%5.8–9.4 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.6%82.6–88 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%66.8–73.4 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.8%91.5–93.9 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.1%82.1–87.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.4%69.8–78.8 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%70.1–84.1 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%18.7–26.2 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.5%21.8–31.6 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17%14.1–20.4 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.4%6.4–10.8 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6%4.8–7.4 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.3–4.8 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4–5.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%4.7–8.3 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.2%29.7–40.7 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.8%14.4–21.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%9.7–13.9 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.7%10–13.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.2–6 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.2–9.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.3–4.8 | 4% | 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 Highlands
Is Highlands a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highlands is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Highlands?
CDC estimates 31% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.3% and 38.9%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highlands?
Highlands Cashiers Hospital in Highlands, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Highlands’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Highlands have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–9.4%), 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 Highlands 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 Highlands.
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.