Zubly Cemetery · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Beech Island is healthier than 78%
Beech Island differs from South Carolina on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Beech Island. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Beech Island
Making ends meet is harder in Beech Island
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.4%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Housing insecurity (17.4% vs 13.3%) and utility shut-off threats (11.6% vs 8.9%) are higher too. 15.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Beech Island
54% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 17.3% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
More Beech Island adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.6%), vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Beech Island is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Beech Island is healthier than 19%. Against the 1,438 towns with similar household incomes ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 78%. 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 South Carolina figure falls outside Beech Island’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Beech Island’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Beech Island is healthier than 19% 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 7%).
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). Beech Island’s median household income is $36,027; among the 1,438 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 78%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Beech Island compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.6% (U.S. 76.5%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.5% of Beech Island adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Beech Island adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Beech Island adults…
Beech Island runs above SC on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Beech Island
No hospital or community health center in Beech Island 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 Beech Island; ≈ 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 Beech Island adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Beech Island runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Beech Island 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.
Beech Island 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beech Island | C− | 38.3% | 16.8% | 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 Beech Island adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Beech Island
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Beech Island is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 19; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Beech Island’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Beech Island | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.3%22.5–28.5 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.5–18.2 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.6–19.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%34.1–42.9 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.8%15–18.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43%40.1–46.3 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%35.2–41.2 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.2%28.7–33.9 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–12.2 | 9.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%8–10.5 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.5–5.5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.3%14.3–20.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.6–19.4 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.6%28.1–35.8 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%12–16.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.7%36.4–44.8 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.7%11.3–16.1 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%79.5–84.5 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54%50.7–57 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%85–88.4 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.6%80.4–84.7 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.7%66.4–74.3 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%71.4–82.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%20.3–25.8 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.7%30.1–37.3 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.1%25–31.3 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.4%20.2–26.6 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.4%15.1–19.9 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.6%10.1–13.1 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.2%9.8–12.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.5%13.1–18.1 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%31.5–38.8 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.9%16.8–21.3 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.5–18.4 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.6–12.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5–6.3 | 4.3% | 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 South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Beech Island
Is Beech Island a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Beech Island is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: C− 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 Beech Island?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.1% and 42.9%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Beech Island?
Piedmont Augusta Hospital in Augusta, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Beech Island’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Beech Island have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–16.1%), against 11.8% across South 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 Beech Island more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Beech Island.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South 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.