Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Lawn is healthier than 61%
Fort Lawn differs from South Carolina on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Lawn. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Lawn
Fort Lawn is short on primary care and mental health care
Fort Lawn’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Fort Lawn is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Lawn is healthier than 39%. Against the 9,007 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 61%. 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 Fort Lawn’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Fort Lawn’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Lawn is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 59% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). Fort Lawn’s median household income is $60,288; among the 9,007 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 61%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Fort Lawn
No hospital or community health center in Fort Lawn 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 Fort Lawn; ≈ 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 Fort Lawn adults…
Fort Lawn runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Fort Lawn residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Lawn adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Fort Lawn adults are doing
About the same as South Carolina on each measure.
4 in 10 Fort Lawn 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.
11.7% of Fort Lawn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Fort Lawn and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lawn | C+ | 35% | 13.1% | 15.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Lawn adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Lawn
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Lawn is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 1; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Fort Lawn’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Lawn | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%17.9–24.2 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.5–16.3 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.1–20.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35%28.5–41.8 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.4–14.9 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.1%34–41.9 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%33–41 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.9%24–29.9 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.7–8.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.4%6.4–8.6 | 7.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 3.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.4%11.7–17.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%12.6–18 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.8%23.2–32.4 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.1–19 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%31.9–45.1 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%9.7–14.8 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%75.6–82.3 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.7%53.6–61.6 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.2–87.5 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78%75.1–80.5 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%60.3–70.6 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%65.9–81.6 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.5–26.2 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.1%30.9–41.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27%23–31.3 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.7%16.3–23.4 | 17.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.5%13.1–18.1 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.1%8.6–11.7 | 8.9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.2–11.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.7%9.5–14.2 | 10.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%27.4–36.2 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.3%13.1–17.7 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%13.6–18.1 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5–6.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.2–10.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.9–5.1 | 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 Fort Lawn
Is Fort Lawn a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Lawn is healthier than 39% 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 Fort Lawn?
CDC estimates 35% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.5% and 41.8%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Lawn?
MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center in Lancaster, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Fort Lawn’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Lawn have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–14.8%), 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 Fort Lawn 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 Fort Lawn.
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.