Photo: Evanoco · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Saluda is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Saluda differs from South Carolina on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Saluda. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Saluda
More Saluda adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (37.6%), vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Saluda
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.6%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Housing insecurity (23.4% vs 13.3%) and utility shut-off threats (15.2% vs 8.9%) are higher too. 21% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Saluda
49.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 22.6% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
Saluda is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Saluda is healthier than 9%. Against the 3,187 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 39%. 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 Saluda’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Saluda’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Saluda is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #141 of 169 in South Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 39% of U.S. towns); obesity 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). Saluda’s median household income is $42,506; among the 3,187 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 39%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Saluda compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
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.
21% of Saluda adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Saluda adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Out of every 100 Saluda adults…
Saluda runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Saluda residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Saluda
1 community health center in Saluda, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Saluda; ≈ 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 Saluda adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Saluda runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Saluda 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.
Saluda and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saluda | D | 47.5% | 18.3% | 16.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Saluda adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Saluda
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Saluda is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 20; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Saluda’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Saluda | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.1%26.6–33.9 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.3–19.4 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.7–19.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 47.5%39.7–54.8 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18.3%16.1–20.5 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.9%37.8–45.7 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%34.5–42.9 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.1%26–32.1 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.9–11.3 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.3–7.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.2–8.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.2%4.7–5.6 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.6%19.2–25.8 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%14.3–19 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37.6%32.6–42.7 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.1–16.4 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.2%38.2–49.3 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 24.3%20.9–27.7 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.3–82.8 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.9%46.3–52.9 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%81.7–86 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.4%78–82.6 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.2%57.1–66.1 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%67.7–80.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.3–23.7 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.5%30.4–40.7 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.2%24.3–32.2 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.6%27.6–35.7 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.4%20.5–26.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.2%13.4–17.2 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.3%12.6–16.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21%18.2–24.2 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.1%36.5–45.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.7%19.3–24.3 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.4%16.3–20.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7.1–8.9 | 7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.5%8.6–10.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.2%10.8–13.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.7%6–7.5 | 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 Saluda
Is Saluda a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Saluda is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #141 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 39%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Saluda?
CDC estimates 47.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.7% and 54.8%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Saluda?
Newberry County Memorial Hospital in Newberry, 22.2 miles in a straight line from Saluda’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Saluda have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 24.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 20.9–27.7%), 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 Saluda 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 Saluda.
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.