Christ Episcopal Church · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Walnut Cove is healthier than 48%
Walnut Cove differs from North Carolina on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Walnut Cove. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Walnut Cove
Stroke, COPD and heart disease run high in Walnut Cove
1 in 17 adults have had a stroke (5.8%), vs 3.6% across North Carolina. 1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.4%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 10.1%, vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Walnut Cove runs above North Carolina on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Walnut Cove adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.5%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Walnut Cove
57.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.6% across North Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 23% have lost all their teeth (North Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
Walnut Cove is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Walnut Cove is healthier than 14%. Against the 3,932 towns with similar household incomes ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 48%. Health Grade ↓
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 Walnut Cove’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Walnut Cove’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walnut Cove is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 44% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Walnut Cove’s median household income is $44,815; among the 3,932 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Where Walnut Cove compares well: binge drinking, 11.7% (U.S. 15.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.5% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Walnut Cove adults…
Walnut Cove runs above NC on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Walnut Cove adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Care in and near Walnut Cove
No hospital or community health center in Walnut Cove 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 Walnut Cove; ≈ 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 Walnut Cove adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Walnut Cove 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.
17.5% of Walnut Cove adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Walnut Cove and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Cove | D | 40.7% | 17.1% | 17.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Walnut Cove adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Walnut Cove
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Walnut Cove is better than North Carolina on 2 and worse on 17; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Walnut Cove’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Walnut Cove | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.7%22.4–29.6 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.7–19 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.4–19.6 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.7%32.4–49.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.1%14.9–19.5 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.6%43.1–52.2 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.1%37.3–46.8 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.5%33.6–41.4 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.1%9–11.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.4%9.9–13.2 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23%19–27.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.9%15.3–20.8 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.5%26.5–36.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.7%9.4–14.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%27.7–41.7 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%8.8–12.6 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.1%80–85.9 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.5%53.6–61.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.6%87–90.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.5%80–84.8 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.1%59.6–70.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.5%68.6–83.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.5–29.2 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%28.3–39 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%19.7–27 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19%16.2–22.1 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%11.6–15.6 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.8%8.5–11.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.7–11.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.5%14.9–20.4 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.1%36.2–46.2 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%19.3–25.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.1–19.6 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.6%9.3–12 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.5%10.1–13.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 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 Walnut Cove
Is Walnut Cove a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walnut Cove is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Walnut Cove?
CDC estimates 40.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 49.2%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Walnut Cove?
Lifebrite Community Hospital of Stokes in Danbury, 11.5 miles in a straight line from Walnut Cove’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Walnut Cove have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.8–12.6%), 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 Walnut Cove 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 Walnut Cove.
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.