Bethabara Historic District · Photo: Barber Photo Supply Company, Photographer · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Winston-Salem is healthier than 60%
Winston-Salem differs from North Carolina on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Winston-Salem. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Winston-Salem is healthier than 38%. Against the 8,734 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 60%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Winston-Salem
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.1%), vs 15.2% across North Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (11.6% vs 8.1%) and no reliable transportation (11.5% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 18.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Obesity runs high in Winston-Salem
42.7% of adults have obesity, vs 35.1% across North Carolina. Conditions ↓
Winston-Salem has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 1 community health center are inside Winston-Salem. Novant Health Medical Park Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare. Getting care ↓
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 Winston-Salem’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Winston-Salem’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winston-Salem is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #192 of 289 in North Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 67% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Winston-Salem’s median household income is $59,268; among the 8,734 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 60%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Winston-Salem compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 257,271 residents, Winston-Salem is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.9% of Winston-Salem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Winston-Salem
3 hospitals and 1 community health center in Winston-Salem, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Winston-Salem; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Winston-Salem adults…
Winston-Salem runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
45 miles of trails across 54 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Winston-Salem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Winston-Salem adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Winston-Salem 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.
Winston-Salem and the towns around it
Winston-Salem’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | C+ | 42.7% | 13.1% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Walkertown | C+ | 41.5% | 13.4% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Tobaccoville | B+ | 38.2% | 11.4% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Kernersville | B | 39.5% | 11.7% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Rural Hall | B | 40.2% | 11.2% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Midway | B+ | 33.9% | 11.5% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Clemmons | A− | 36.4% | 10.7% | 10.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Winston-Salem adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Winston-Salem
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Winston-Salem is better than North Carolina on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Winston-Salem’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Winston-Salem | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.1%19.7–24.6 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.6–14.7 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.5–19.5 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%35.9–49.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.4–14.8 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%33–40.5 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.8%29–36.7 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.2%22.4–28.2 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–13 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.3–7.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%6.4–8 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.7–4.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%13.9–19.9 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.5–16.4 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%23.3–31.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.8–17.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%30–40.8 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.8%11.2–14.5 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.2–82.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.8%56.2–63.2 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.6–88 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%73.2–78.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%60.7–70.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80%73–85.5 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.2–27.1 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%29.6–38.9 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%21–27.9 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.1%18.8–23.4 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.4%14.5–18.5 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.6%10.3–13 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%10.3–12.7 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.9%17.1–21 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30.5–38.5 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.8–17.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.7%15–18.6 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.3–7.4 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.9–10.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.5–5.3 | 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 Winston-Salem
Is Winston-Salem a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winston-Salem is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #192 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 Winston-Salem?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.9% and 49.3%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Winston-Salem?
North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-salem, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Winston-Salem’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Winston-Salem have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.2–14.5%), 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 Winston-Salem more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Winston-Salem.
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.