Hudson Cotton Manufacturing Company · Photo: Bigdaverhuberg · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Hudson is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns
Hudson trails North Carolina on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hudson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hudson
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Hudson
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.5%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (8%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Cancer is also above the state: 9.5%, vs 7.9% across North Carolina. In all, Hudson runs above North Carolina on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and COPD, heart disease and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Hudson
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.9%), vs 13.5% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Hudson is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Hudson is healthier than 40%. Against the 9,979 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 55%. 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 Hudson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Hudson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hudson is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns, #186 of 289 in North Carolina. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 72% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Hudson’s median household income is $65,268; among the 9,979 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 55%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Hudson adults…
Hudson runs above NC on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Hudson is an older town: 25% 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 Hudson as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
1.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Hudson
No hospital or community health center in Hudson 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 Hudson; ≈ 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 Hudson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Hudson adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Hudson 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.
13% of Hudson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Hudson and the towns around it
Hudson has the best Health Grade of the 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hudson adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hudson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hudson is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Hudson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hudson | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.9%18.8–25.3 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.2–17.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.7–20.1 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.8%25.4–40.9 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.8–14.4 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.4%34.2–42.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.2%33.9–42.8 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4%27–34 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.7–12.6 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.1–9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%8.2–10.9 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.9%13–19.2 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.3–19.7 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.8%22.3–31.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.3–18.4 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.5%25.3–38.4 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.3%9.3–13.6 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%75.8–82.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.9%57.2–64.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.3–88.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%74.6–80.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.6%59.5–69.6 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%69.7–83.8 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.9%23–31.1 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%26.8–37.3 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18.3–25.6 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.3%12.7–18.2 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.2%9.4–13.2 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.1–9.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13%10.7–15.6 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.4%30.8–40.2 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%14.5–19.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17%14.8–19.2 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.3–6.7 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.6–11.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 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 Hudson
Is Hudson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hudson is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #186 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 55%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hudson?
CDC estimates 32.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 40.9%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hudson?
Caldwell Memorial Hospital in Lenoir, 5.2 miles in a straight line from Hudson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hudson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.3–13.6%), 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 Hudson 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 Hudson.
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.