Photo: Sugarmountainresort · CC BY-SA 4.0Where Sugar Mountain residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Sugar Mountain, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sugar Mountain. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sugar Mountain
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Sugar Mountain
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.6%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.8%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. COPD is also above the state: 9.4%, vs 7.1% across North Carolina. In all, Sugar Mountain runs above North Carolina on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 53% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Sugar Mountain, and more people treating it
42.2% of adults have high blood pressure (North Carolina 36.8%), but 81.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer Sugar Mountain adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 9 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 Sugar Mountain’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Sugar Mountain adults…
Sugar Mountain runs above NC on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Sugar Mountain is an older town: 53% 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 Sugar Mountain as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sugar Mountain 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.
8.9% of Sugar Mountain adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Sugar Mountain
No hospital or community health center in Sugar Mountain 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 Sugar Mountain; ≈ 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.
1.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Sugar Mountain adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Sugar Mountain does better than North Carolina.
3 in 10 Sugar Mountain 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.
Sugar Mountain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grandfather Village | — | — | — | — | |
| Seven Devils | — | — | — | — |
Grandfather Village and Seven Devils: 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 Sugar Mountain adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Sugar Mountain
Why doesn’t Sugar Mountain have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Sugar Mountain.
What hospital is closest to Sugar Mountain?
Charles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital in Linville, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Sugar Mountain’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. It has no Medicare star rating.
Where can I get low-cost care near Sugar Mountain?
2 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is High Country Community Health Avery Medical Site in Newland, 4.3 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sugar Mountain.
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.