Marsh-Johnson House · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Johnston is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns
Johnston differs from South Carolina on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Johnston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Johnston
Stroke, diabetes and COPD run high in Johnston
1 in 14 adults have had a stroke (7.4%), about twice the South Carolina rate. 1 in 4 adults have diabetes (24.8%), vs 13.9% across South Carolina. COPD is also above the state: 13.1%, vs 7.5% across South Carolina. In all, Johnston runs above South Carolina on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%), and stroke, diabetes and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Johnston adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (39.8%), vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Johnston
36.9% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 17.4% across South Carolina (about twice the South Carolina rate). Utility shut-off threats (18.8% vs 8.9%) and no reliable transportation (16.5% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 29.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Johnston is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Johnston is healthier than 2%. Against the 1,164 towns with similar household incomes ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 23%. 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 Johnston’s likely range.
What’s behind Johnston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Johnston is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 22% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Johnston’s median household income is $34,412; among the 1,164 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 23%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Johnston compares well: binge drinking, 10.9% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.2% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 84.9% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Johnston adults…
Johnston runs above SC on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Johnston is an older town: 30% 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 Johnston as about how healthy they are.
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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
29.7% of Johnston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Care in and near Johnston
No hospital or community health center in Johnston 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 Johnston; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Johnston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Johnston adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Johnston runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Johnston 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.
Johnston and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston | D− | 47.5% | 24.8% | 21.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Johnston adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Johnston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Johnston is better than South Carolina on 3 and worse on 22; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Johnston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Johnston | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34.2%30.1–38.5 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.5–22.4 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.6–21 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 47.5%39.9–54.8 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 24.8%22–27.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 51.6%47.4–55.7 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.7%37.5–46.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36%32.5–39.6 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.1–12.8 | 9.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7–8.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.1%11.2–15 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25.9%21.9–30 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.6%18.3–25 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 39.8%34.3–45.3 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.9%8.8–13.2 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42%36–47.9 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.8%13.6–20.4 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.2%81.3–86.8 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.2%45.6–52.8 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.1–88.2 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.9%82.7–86.9 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%61.2–70.6 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.3%69.2–82.3 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%17–23.2 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.8%30.6–41.2 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.7%25.6–34.2 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 36.9%31.6–42.4 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.8%21.3–28.9 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18.8%16.2–21.7 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.5%14.1–19.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.7%24.9–34.7 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.8%37.8–47.9 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 27.3%23.8–30.8 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%16.8–22 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.6–9.7 | 7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 15%13.1–17.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 9.3%8.1–10.7 | 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 Johnston
Is Johnston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Johnston is healthier than 2% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 23%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Johnston?
CDC estimates 47.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.9% and 54.8%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Johnston?
Aiken Regional Medical Center in Aiken, 17.4 miles in a straight line from Johnston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Johnston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.6–20.4%), 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 Johnston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Johnston.
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.