Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Duncan is healthier than 74%
Duncan differs from South Carolina on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Duncan. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Duncan
Duncan is behind on routine checkups
It trails South Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (77.2% vs 80.6%), dentist visits (59.6% vs 63.1%), cholesterol checks (83.6% vs 86.9%) and colon screening (62.6% vs 69.3%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Duncan
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.8%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Housing insecurity (17.8% vs 13.3%) and utility shut-off threats (11.6% vs 8.9%) are higher too. 13.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Duncan adults lack emotional support
1 in 4 adults lack social or emotional support (27.5%), vs 23.6% across South Carolina. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.9%, vs 16.4% across South Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Duncan is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Duncan is healthier than 40%. Against the 6,642 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$66K), it’s healthier than 74%. 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 Duncan’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Duncan’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duncan is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns, #78 of 169 in South Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 59% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Duncan’s median household income is $52,500; among the 6,642 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$66K), it’s healthier than 74%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Duncan compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.9% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 4.9% (U.S. 6.4%); mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74), 82.9% (U.S. 76.4%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Duncan adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.8% of Duncan adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
How Duncan adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Duncan runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Duncan 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.
Out of every 100 Duncan adults…
Duncan runs below SC on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Duncan residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Duncan
No hospital or community health center in Duncan 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 Duncan; ≈ 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.
0.5 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Duncan and the towns around it
Duncan’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Duncan adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Duncan
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Duncan is better than South Carolina on 9 and worse on 12; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Duncan’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Duncan | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%17.9–23.7 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.9–15.3 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.6–21.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.5%34.6–44.6 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.3–13.3 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.5%31.3–37.7 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%30.9–37.3 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.8%21.4–26.3 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.4%5.4–7.4 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.9%11.7–16.4 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%12–17.1 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27%23.1–30.9 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.2–19.8 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.8%36.4–45.6 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14%11.5–16.8 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.8–80.4 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.6%56.4–62.9 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%81.1–86.1 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.8%72–77.5 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.6%58.4–66.9 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.9%78.1–87.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.9–28.2 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.3%31.1–39.8 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%24–31.4 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.8%18–25.8 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.8%15–20.9 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.6%9.8–13.5 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%9.2–12.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.8%10.9–16.8 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8%28.9–36.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.9–15.7 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17%14.6–19.3 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.6–6 | 7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5–6.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8–10.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 4.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Duncan
Is Duncan a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duncan is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #78 of 169 in South Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Duncan?
CDC estimates 39.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.6% and 44.6%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Duncan?
Pelham Medical Center in Greer, 6.3 miles in a straight line from Duncan’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Duncan have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.5–16.8%), 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 Duncan 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 Duncan.
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.