Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Gaffney is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Gaffney differs from South Carolina on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gaffney. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gaffney
Making ends meet is harder in Gaffney
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (28.1%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (14.4% vs 8.9%) and no reliable transportation (13.6% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 20.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Gaffney is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Gaffney is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on self-rated health, diabetes and exercise. Health Grade ↓
Dental care lags in Gaffney
54.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 21% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
Gaffney is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Gaffney is healthier than 10%. Against the 2,706 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$51K), it’s healthier than 46%. 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 Gaffney’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Gaffney’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gaffney is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #137 of 169 in South Carolina. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 25% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Gaffney’s median household income is $41,089; among the 2,706 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$51K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.4% of Gaffney adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gaffney adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Out of every 100 Gaffney adults…
Gaffney runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Gaffney
No hospital or community health center in Gaffney 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 Gaffney; ≈ 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.
0.8 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
How Gaffney adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Gaffney runs above South Carolina.
4 in 10 Gaffney 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.
Gaffney and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaffney | D | 40.8% | 17% | 17.4% | CDC place |
| East Gaffney | D− | 45.6% | 20% | 25.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gaffney adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gaffney
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gaffney is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 18; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Gaffney’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gaffney | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.7%23.9–29.6 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.7–18.4 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17.1–21.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.8%33.4–48.6 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17%15.1–19.1 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.4%38.3–46.5 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%33.7–42.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27–33.5 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7.1–8.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%8.7–10.7 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.7–5.5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21%17.6–24.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.4%15.2–19.8 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34%29.6–38.8 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.5–17.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.1%35.1–49.1 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.2%13.1–17.4 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77–83.6 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.9%51.1–58.6 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%82.1–86 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%78–82.5 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.8%60.5–70.6 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%69.1–83.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19–26.1 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%31.4–41.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.8%24.1–31.5 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.1%24.9–31.2 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20%17.7–22.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.4%12.8–16.2 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.4%18.2–22.8 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.5%34.2–42.9 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.9%17.8–22.2 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18%16.1–20 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.5%7.8–9.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.3%11.1–13.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.4%5.9–7 | 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 Gaffney
Is Gaffney a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gaffney is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health, #137 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gaffney?
CDC estimates 40.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.4% and 48.6%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gaffney?
Cherokee Medical Center in Gaffney, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Gaffney’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gaffney have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.1–17.4%), 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 Gaffney 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 Gaffney.
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.