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Albertus Ledbetter HouseAlbertus Ledbetter House · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
Health in Old Fort · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Old Fort residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Old Fort, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Old Fort. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out

What stands out about health in Old Fort

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Old Fort adults…

Old Fort runs above NC on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Old Fort adults have COPD
North Carolina: 7 in 100 · worse · likely 7.5–10.8%
Better than NCWorseAbout the sameNorth Carolina
Why age matters here

Old Fort is an older town: 26% 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 Old Fort as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Old Fort26%
North Carolina17%
Getting care

Care in and near Old Fort

No hospital or community health center in Old Fort itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERThe Mcdowell HospitalMarion · 8.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyThe Mcdowell Hospital★★★★★ · 8.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMcdowell County Health CenterMarion · 8.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.7 mi
The Mcdowell Hospital
Marion · ★★★★★
ER
8.9 mi
Mcdowell County Health Center
Marion · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
15 mi
Blue Ridge Community Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Lake Lure
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17.5 mi
Asheville-Oteen VA Medical Center
Asheville · ★★★★★
ERFor veterans
20.4 mi
Blue Ridge Regional Hospital
Spruce Pine · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
21.2 mi
Memorial Mission Hospital and Asheville Surgery Ce
Asheville · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Old Fort itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Old Fort itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Old Fort itself

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 Old Fort; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina

Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.5%NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 35%NC 34.2%
Binge drink 14.4%NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettes 16.2%NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Old Fort, betterOld Fort, worseAbout the sameNorth Carolina
Where Old Fort gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Old Fort adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.

80%Yearly checkupNC 80%
61%Dentist visitNC 64%
87%Cholesterol checkNC 88%
65%Colon screeningNC 66%
73%MammogramNC 79%
78%Taking BP medsNC 77%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Old Fort 10.1% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Old Fort adults are doing

About the same as North Carolina on each measure.

1 in 3Old Fort adults feel lonely
32.8% · NC 32.5% · About the same as NC
1 in 5Old Fort adults lack social or emotional support
21.9% · NC 22.5% · About the same as NC
1 in 4Old Fort adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.1% · NC 24.2% · About the same as NC
1 in 6Old Fort adults are in frequent mental distress
17.6% · NC 16.5% · About the same as NC
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Old Fort adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Old Fort adults worry about having enough food
15.7% · NC 15.2%
About the same as NC
1 in 8
Old Fort adults worry about keeping their housing
11.8% · NC 12.2%
About the same as NC
1 in 12
Old Fort adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.1% · NC 8.1%
About the same as NC
1 in 12
Old Fort adults lack reliable transportation
8.6% · NC 8.4%
About the same as NC

13.5% of Old Fort adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Around town

Old Fort and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

35.4%

of Old Fort adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.6%
Thinking or memory16.5%
Hearing8.6%
Errands alone9.6%
Vision5.9%
Dressing or bathing4.6%
North Carolina

Questions about health in Old Fort

Why doesn’t Old Fort have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Old Fort.

What hospital is closest to Old Fort?

The Mcdowell Hospital in Marion, 8.7 miles in a straight line from Old Fort’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Old Fort?

1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Mcdowell County Health Center in Marion, 8.9 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Old Fort.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.