Photo: Bigskybill · CC BY-SA 3.0Where Saluda residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Saluda, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Saluda. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Saluda
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Saluda
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.8%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (35.1%), vs 26.9% across North Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.6%, vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Saluda runs above North Carolina on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 52% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Saluda keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.3% vs 80%) and dentist visits (73.7% vs 63.6%). Checkups ↓
Saluda adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (26.4% vs 32.5%), frequent mental distress (12.4% vs 16.5%) and lack of emotional support (16.2% vs 22.5%) all run below North Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
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 Saluda’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Saluda adults…
Saluda runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Saluda is an older town: 52% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Saluda as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Saluda adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Saluda adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Saluda does better than North Carolina.
1 in 4 Saluda 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.
Care in and near Saluda
No hospital or community health center in Saluda 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 Saluda; ≈ 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.
0.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5% of Saluda adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Saluda and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Saluda adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Saluda
Why doesn’t Saluda have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Saluda.
What hospital is closest to Saluda?
Advent Health Polk in Columbus, 7.6 miles in a straight line from Saluda’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
Where can I get low-cost care near Saluda?
15 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Mahec Dental Health Center at Columbus in Columbus, 7.5 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Saluda.
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.