Photo: Gpeytoncrowder · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Laurens is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Laurens differs from South Carolina on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Laurens. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Laurens
Making ends meet is harder in Laurens
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24.6%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Housing insecurity (18% vs 13.3%) and no reliable transportation (11.6% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 16.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Laurens
56.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 19% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Laurens’ county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
More Laurens adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.2%), vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Laurens is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Laurens is healthier than 17%. Against the 5,492 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 45%. 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 Laurens’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Laurens’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurens is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #116 of 169 in South Carolina. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 40% 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). Laurens’ median household income is $49,246; among the 5,492 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 45%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Laurens compares well: binge drinking, 12.5% (U.S. 15.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.1% of Laurens adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Laurens adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
4.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Laurens adults…
Laurens runs above SC on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Laurens is an older town: 25% 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 Laurens as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Laurens
No hospital or community health center in Laurens 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 Laurens; ≈ 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 Laurens adults are doing
About the same as South Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Laurens 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.
Laurens and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurens | C− | 37.5% | 17.1% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Watts Mills | D− | 42.2% | 17.7% | 23.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Laurens adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Laurens
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Laurens is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Laurens’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Laurens | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.2%24.1–30.3 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.6–18.3 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.9–19.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%31.4–43.7 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.1%15.2–19.2 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43%39.3–46.9 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.3%35.4–43.2 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.4%29.4–35.7 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.4–11.8 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.8–9.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.1–8.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%8–10.2 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%15.9–22.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%14–18.4 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.2%29.8–38.7 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.5%10.2–15 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.5%31.4–41.9 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.3%13.1–17.6 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%79–84.7 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.5%52.9–60 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84.3–87.7 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.9%79.4–84 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%64.9–73.5 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%73.5–84.7 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%19.1–25.4 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%30.1–39.6 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.2%22.9–29.9 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.6%21.7–27.9 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18%15.8–20.5 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12%10.6–13.6 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.1%14–18.4 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.8%35.6–43.9 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.2%17.9–22.7 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17%15.1–18.8 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.9 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.7%7–8.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 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 Laurens
Is Laurens a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurens is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #116 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Laurens?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 43.7%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Laurens?
Prisma Health Laurens County Hospital in Clinton, 4.8 miles in a straight line from Laurens’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Laurens have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.1–17.6%), 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 Laurens 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 Laurens.
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.