Photo: Brian Stansberry (photographer) · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Mills River is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Mills River differs from North Carolina on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mills River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mills River
Cancer runs high in Mills River
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. Conditions ↓
Mills River keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (72% vs 63.6%) and cholesterol checks (90.4% vs 87.5%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Mills River adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 11 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 Mills River’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Mills River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mills River is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #56 of 289 in North Carolina. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 87% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 68%.
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). Mills River’s median household income is $105,398; among the 7,805 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$132K), it’s healthier than 77%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Mills River adults…
Mills River runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Mills River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.6% of Mills River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Mills River
1 community health center in Mills River, 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 Mills River; ≈ 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.
4.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Mills River adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Mills River does better than North Carolina.
3 in 10 Mills River 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.
Mills River and the towns around it
Mills River’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mills River | A− | 29% | 10.9% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Etowah | B+ | 30% | 13.3% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Horse Shoe | A− | 29.2% | 11.1% | 12% | CDC place |
| Fletcher | A | 29% | 9.8% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Asheville | A− | 31.5% | 10.4% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Mills River adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mills River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mills River is better than North Carolina on 10 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Mills River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mills River | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.1%13.4–19.1 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.4–14.2 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.6–16.6 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29%22.5–36.1 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.2–12.6 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%32–40.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%34.5–43.5 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%26.5–33.8 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9–11.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.2–8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%5.9–8.3 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.4–8.2 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9.3–14.2 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20%15.9–24.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%11.8–17.5 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%25.4–37.4 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.1–9.4 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.4%78–84.4 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72%68.7–75.1 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.4%89–91.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.6–82.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.6%65.9–74.9 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%72.3–85.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.1%20.5–27.9 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.2%23.4–33.1 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.5%15.3–22 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%7.2–10.9 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.3%6.1–8.8 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4.1–5.7 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.5–6.2 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.6%5.3–8.1 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.4%24.8–34.1 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11–15.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.5–14.3 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.5–4.7 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%5.8–7.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.8–3.8 | 4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Mills River
Is Mills River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mills River is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #56 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 77%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Mills River?
CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.5% and 36.1%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Mills River?
Adventhealth Hendersonville in Hendersonville, 5.7 miles in a straight line from Mills River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Mills River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9.4%), 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 Mills River more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Mills River.
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.