Photo: Dr. Blazer · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Forest Acres is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Forest Acres differs from South Carolina on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Forest Acres. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forest Acres
Forest Acres is an active town
Only 16.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Forest Acres is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Columbia (B−). Around town ↓
Forest Acres keeps up with checkups
It beats South Carolina on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (72.3% vs 63.1%) and cholesterol checks (90.2% vs 86.9%). Checkups ↓
Few Forest Acres adults smoke
8.4% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 13.3% across South 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 South Carolina figure falls outside Forest Acres’ likely range.
What’s behind Forest Acres’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest Acres is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #10 of 169 in South Carolina. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 95% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 63%.
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). Forest Acres’ median household income is $78,306; among the 10,829 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
0.7 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Forest Acres and the towns around it
Forest Acres has the best Health Grade of the 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Acres | A | 29.6% | 11.2% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Columbia | B− | 34.4% | 12.1% | 13% | CDC place |
| Dentsville | C− | 39.9% | 17.7% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Arcadia Lakes | — | — | — | — | |
| Woodfield | C− | 39.5% | 17.5% | 14.5% | CDC place |
Arcadia Lakes: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of Forest Acres adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Out of every 100 Forest Acres adults…
Forest Acres runs below SC on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Forest Acres
No hospital or community health center in Forest Acres 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 Forest Acres; ≈ 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 Forest Acres adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Forest Acres does better than South Carolina.
3 in 10 Forest Acres 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.
5.3% of Forest Acres adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forest Acres adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Forest Acres
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forest Acres is better than South Carolina on 21 and worse on 1; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Forest Acres’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forest Acres | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.4%12.8–16.2 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%10.3–12.9 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%12–15 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%25.9–33.6 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.9–12.5 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%32.3–38.2 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%35.4–41.6 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.1%26.6–31.7 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9%8–10.1 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.2–10.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.4%6.1–8.8 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.6%14.4–19 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.7–19.6 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%30.9–38.3 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%6.3–8.4 | 11.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%79.6–84.4 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.3%69.6–74.6 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.2%88.9–91.3 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%77–81.9 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77%73.6–79.9 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%73.2–83.3 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%20.1–25.6 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%25.7–32.7 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.9%16.5–21.5 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9%7.7–10.3 | 17.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.9–6.5 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.4%4.8–6.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.3%4.5–6.2 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.7%23–28.5 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.7–13.6 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.6–12 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.3 | 4.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Forest Acres
Is Forest Acres a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest Acres is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #10 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Forest Acres?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 33.6%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forest Acres?
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown in Columbia, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Forest Acres’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Forest Acres have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–8.4%), 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 Forest Acres more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Forest Acres.
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.