Cowpens Depot · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Cowpens is healthier than 51%
Cowpens trails South Carolina on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cowpens. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cowpens
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Cowpens
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.6%), vs 7.5% across South Carolina. 1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (4.9%), vs 3.9% across South Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.5%, vs 6.8% across South Carolina. In all, Cowpens runs above South Carolina on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Cowpens
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.3%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. No reliable transportation (11.1% vs 8.6%) and utility shut-off threats (11.3% vs 8.9%) are higher too. 16% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cowpens is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Cowpens is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on self-rated health, physical distress, diabetes and exercise. Health Grade ↓
Cowpens is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Cowpens is healthier than 10%. Against the 2,135 towns with similar household incomes ($29K–$49K), it’s healthier than 51%. 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 Cowpens’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Cowpens’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cowpens is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 22% 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). Cowpens’ median household income is $39,094; among the 2,135 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($29K–$49K), it’s healthier than 51%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Cowpens adults…
Cowpens runs above SC on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Cowpens is an older town: 36% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Cowpens 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.
16% of Cowpens adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Care in and near Cowpens
No hospital or community health center in Cowpens 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 Cowpens; ≈ 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 South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Cowpens adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Cowpens adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Cowpens runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Cowpens 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.
Cowpens and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowpens | D | 40.8% | 16.7% | 17.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cowpens adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cowpens
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cowpens is better than South Carolina on 0 and worse on 20; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Cowpens’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cowpens | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.4%22.7–30 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.3–19.7 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.6–21.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.8%35.8–45.8 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.7%14.8–18.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43%39.7–46.3 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.3%37.9–44.7 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.1%30.2–36 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8–9.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.4–9.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9–12.2 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.4–5.6 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.7%17.3–24.4 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.8%14.9–20.8 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.7%28.3–37.5 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%12.2–17 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%34.4–43.4 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.6%11.6–17.9 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%76.4–82.3 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.3%53–59.7 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.2–86.6 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.4%79.2–83.6 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%59.7–68.4 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%72.1–83.1 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26%22.8–29.3 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.7%29.6–37.9 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.1%22.8–29.8 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.3%19.9–27.3 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.4%14.2–18.9 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.3%9.8–13 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.1%9.6–12.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16%13.4–19.1 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.2%35.6–44.6 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.7%17.9–23.5 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16–21 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.7%6.7–8.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.9%5.1–6.7 | 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 Cowpens
Is Cowpens a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cowpens is healthier than 10% 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 Cowpens?
CDC estimates 40.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.8% and 45.8%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cowpens?
Spartanburg Medical Center in Spartanburg, 8.2 miles in a straight line from Cowpens’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cowpens have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.6–17.9%), 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 Cowpens 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 Cowpens.
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.