Palmer Fire School · Photo: North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Lake Lure is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Lake Lure differs from North Carolina on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake Lure. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake Lure
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Lake Lure
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (15.3%), about twice the North Carolina rate. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (10.7%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Arthritis is also above the state: 40.2%, vs 26.9% across North Carolina. In all, Lake Lure runs above North Carolina on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 42% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Lake Lure, and more people treating it
48.1% of adults have high blood pressure (North Carolina 36.8%), but 85.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Lake Lure keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (86.2% vs 80%) and dentist visits (70.8% 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 Lake Lure’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Lake Lure’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Lure is healthier than 64% 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 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). Lake Lure’s median household income is $80,357; among the 10,735 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$100K), it’s healthier than 70%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Lake Lure adults…
Lake Lure runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Lake Lure is an older town: 42% 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 Lake Lure as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake Lure adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Care in and near Lake Lure
1 community health center in Lake Lure, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Lake Lure; ≈ 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.
18 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Lake Lure adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Lake Lure does better than North Carolina.
1 in 4 Lake Lure 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.
6.5% of Lake Lure adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Lake Lure and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Lure | B | 33.8% | 15.4% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Chimney Rock Village | — | — | — | — |
Chimney Rock Village: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake Lure adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake Lure
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake Lure is better than North Carolina on 16 and worse on 8; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Lake Lure’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake Lure | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%15.4–22.1 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12–16.4 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.4–13.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.8%26.1–41.9 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.4%13.1–18 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 48.1%43.1–53 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 46.3%41.3–51.4 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 40.2%35.7–44.6 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.8–11.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 15.3%13.7–16.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%8–11.6 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.4–5.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.9%6.9–10.8 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.2%8.9–13.9 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%19–28.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 10.5%8.6–12.9 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.8%20.9–32.6 | 34.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%4.8–7.8 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 86.2%83.6–88.7 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.8%67–74 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.9%92.9–94.9 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.8%83–88.3 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.8%71.9–80.8 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%71.1–85.1 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19–26.3 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 25.7%21–30.5 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.6%13.6–20 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.1%6.2–10.1 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.8%4.6–6.9 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.4–5 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.7%3.9–5.5 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.5%4.9–8.3 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%29.9–40.2 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.2%15.1–21.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11%9.3–12.9 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.4–8.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 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 Lake Lure
Is Lake Lure a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Lure is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 70%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lake Lure?
CDC estimates 33.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.1% and 41.9%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake Lure?
Advent Health Polk in Columbus, 14.3 miles in a straight line from Lake Lure’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake Lure have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–7.8%), 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 Lake Lure 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 Lake Lure.
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.