Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Valdese is healthier than 89%
Valdese differs from North Carolina on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Valdese. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Valdese
Valdese is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Valdese is healthier than 53%. Against the 6,048 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 89%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Valdese
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.2%, vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Valdese runs above North Carolina on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Valdese adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 8 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 Valdese’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Valdese’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valdese is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #148 of 289 in North Carolina. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 64% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Valdese’s median household income is $50,740; among the 6,048 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Valdese adults…
Valdese runs above NC on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Valdese 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 Valdese as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.3% of Valdese adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Valdese
No hospital or community health center in Valdese 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 Valdese; ≈ 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.
6.2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Valdese adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Valdese adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Valdese 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.
Valdese and the towns around it
Valdese’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdese | B− | 34.3% | 12.7% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Rutherford College | B+ | 33.4% | 12.3% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Drexel | C | 36.8% | 14.3% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Valdese adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Valdese
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Valdese is better than North Carolina on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Valdese’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Valdese | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%16.8–23 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.1–16.1 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.1–18.3 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.3%26.8–42.1 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%10.9–14.6 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.6%35.2–43.9 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%34.2–43.1 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.9%29.2–36.5 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.2–9.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.7–10.5 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.3%13.3–19.7 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%12.1–17.2 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.9%21–30.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.3–16.7 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%26.5–39.4 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.2–10.9 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.5%78–84.4 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.9%61.2–68.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.6%86.6–90.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%77.1–82.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.8%64.8–74.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.3%69.7–83.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.2–30 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%26.3–36.8 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.5%17–24.1 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%10.2–15 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.6–11 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.2–7.3 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.9–8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.3%8.3–12.6 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%30–39.7 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%14.2–19.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15%12.9–17.1 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.8–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Valdese
Is Valdese a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valdese is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #148 of 289 in North Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Valdese?
CDC estimates 34.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.8% and 42.1%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Valdese?
Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals in Morganton, 5.2 miles in a straight line from Valdese’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Valdese have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10.9%), 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 Valdese more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Valdese.
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.