Pelzer Manufacturing Company and Mill Village Historic District · Photo: Upstateherd · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Pelzer is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Pelzer trails South Carolina on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pelzer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pelzer
Pelzer is behind on routine checkups
It trails South Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (76.1% vs 80.6%), dentist visits (59.4% vs 63.1%), cholesterol checks (83.5% vs 86.9%) and colon screening (64% vs 69.3%). Checkups ↓
Depression is more common in Pelzer
3 in 10 adults have been diagnosed with depression (28.2%), vs 22.3% across South Carolina. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.5%, vs 16.4% across South Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Smoking is more common in Pelzer
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.6%), vs 13.3% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Pelzer is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Pelzer is healthier than 28%. Against the 8,382 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 47%. 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 Pelzer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Pelzer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelzer is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 47% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Pelzer’s median household income is $58,134; among the 8,382 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pelzer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Pelzer adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Pelzer runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Pelzer 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
0.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Pelzer adults…
Pelzer runs above SC on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pelzer
No hospital or community health center in Pelzer 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 Pelzer; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.1% of Pelzer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Pelzer and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelzer | C | 36.6% | 12.5% | 16.6% | CDC place |
| West Pelzer | C | 36.7% | 13% | 16.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pelzer adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pelzer
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pelzer is better than South Carolina on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Pelzer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pelzer | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.3%19.5–25.4 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.1–18 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.4–21.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.6%31.9–41.5 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.9–14.1 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.7%32.5–39 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.8%34.5–41.2 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4%27.7–33.2 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.2–7.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.8%7.6–10.1 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 3.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.1%15–21.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%14.1–19.3 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.5%23.7–31.4 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.6–18.9 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%30.1–39 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.8%11.3–16.5 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%72.9–79.3 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.4%56.1–62.7 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.2–85.6 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.4%74.7–79.9 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%59.4–68.5 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.4%66.4–79.5 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.2%25–31.6 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%31–39.3 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21–27.5 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.5%15.6–21.6 | 17.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.3%11.3–15.4 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.7–10.3 | 8.9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%9.2–13.2 | 10.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.9%32–39.9 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%14.1–18.5 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.1–19.4 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–5.1 | 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 Pelzer
Is Pelzer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelzer is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pelzer?
CDC estimates 36.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 41.5%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pelzer?
Prisma Health Hillcrest Hospital in Simpsonville, 13.2 miles in a straight line from Pelzer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pelzer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–16.5%), 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 Pelzer 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 Pelzer.
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.