Photo: Brian Stansberry (photographer) · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Rutherfordton is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Rutherfordton differs from North Carolina on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rutherfordton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rutherfordton
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Rutherfordton
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.1%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.3%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Stroke is also above the state: 5%, vs 3.6% across North Carolina. In all, Rutherfordton runs above North Carolina on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Rutherfordton
58.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.6% across North Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 21.2% have lost all their teeth (North Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
More Rutherfordton adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (30%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
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 Rutherfordton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Rutherfordton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rutherfordton is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #243 of 289 in North Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 33% 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). Rutherfordton’s median household income is $59,375; among the 8,750 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Rutherfordton compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.8% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Rutherfordton adults…
Rutherfordton runs above NC on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Rutherfordton is an older town: 27% 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 Rutherfordton as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Rutherfordton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Rutherfordton
1 hospital in Rutherfordton, 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 Rutherfordton; ≈ 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).
How Rutherfordton adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Rutherfordton 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.
17.8% of Rutherfordton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Rutherfordton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherfordton | C− | 39.2% | 15.4% | 18.1% | CDC place |
| Spindale | D | 42.7% | 16.3% | 21.7% | CDC place |
| Ruth | — | — | — | — |
Ruth: 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 Rutherfordton adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rutherfordton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rutherfordton is better than North Carolina on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Rutherfordton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rutherfordton | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.6%21.6–27.8 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.2–18.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%15.8–20.2 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.2%31.3–47.6 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.4%13.3–17.5 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43%38.6–47.5 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%35.1–44.3 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.5%29.9–37.2 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–13 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9–10.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.3–10.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.6–5.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.2%17.2–25.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.1%15.6–20.7 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30%25.2–35 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%10.7–16 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%26.2–39.3 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%9.6–13.4 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.6%77.3–83.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.4%54.2–62 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%84.9–88.5 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.9–82.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%60.4–70.8 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%67.3–82.3 | 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 | 31.6%26.6–36.9 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.5–25.5 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19%16.4–21.7 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.3%11.5–15.3 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.9–11.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.8%15.4–20.4 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.4%34.5–44.3 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.8%17.4–22.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.4–19.6 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.1%9–11.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.6–8.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.1%9.9–12.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 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 Rutherfordton
Is Rutherfordton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rutherfordton is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #243 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rutherfordton?
CDC estimates 39.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 47.6%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rutherfordton?
Rutherford Regional Medical Center in Rutherfordton, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Rutherfordton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rutherfordton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.6–13.4%), 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 Rutherfordton 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 Rutherfordton.
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.