On CDC estimates, Welcome is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
Welcome trails North Carolina on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Welcome. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Welcome
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Welcome
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.4%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.6% across North Carolina. In all, Welcome runs above North Carolina on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Welcome
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.4%), vs 13.5% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
More Welcome adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.7%), 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 Welcome’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Welcome’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Welcome is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns, #217 of 289 in North Carolina. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 44% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Welcome’s median household income is $63,353; among the 9,628 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$79K), it’s healthier than 32%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Welcome adults…
Welcome runs above NC on 6 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.
Care in and near Welcome
No hospital or community health center in Welcome 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 Welcome; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Welcome adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Welcome adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Welcome 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.
14.3% of Welcome adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Welcome and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome | C− | 37% | 13.5% | 18.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Welcome adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Welcome
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Welcome is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Welcome’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Welcome | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%19.5–25.8 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.7–17.8 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.1–20.6 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%29.8–44.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.5–15.4 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.5%36.2–44.6 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%34.1–42.8 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.6%29–36.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.5–9.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.4%9–11.7 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.1–5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.5%16.1–23.3 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.4%15.7–21.3 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.7%23.9–33.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.2–16.5 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.7%27.5–40.2 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%8.8–12.9 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%75.9–82.6 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.5%55.5–63.4 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.9–88.6 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.1–81.8 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%60.9–70.9 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%66.8–81.7 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.8%22.9–30.6 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%26.5–36.4 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%18.9–26.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.3%13.8–19.2 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.7%9.9–13.7 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7–9.5 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.6–10 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.3%11.9–17 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.3%32.5–42.2 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%15.5–20.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.4–19.8 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.7–7.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9–11.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.4–5.6 | 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 Welcome
Is Welcome a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Welcome is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #217 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 32%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Welcome?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.8% and 44.2%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Welcome?
Lexington Memorial Hospital in Lexington, 7.6 miles in a straight line from Welcome’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Welcome have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.8–12.9%), 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 Welcome 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 Welcome.
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.