Photo: PegasusRacer28 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Spartanburg is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Spartanburg differs from South Carolina on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Spartanburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Spartanburg
Spartanburg is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Spartanburg is healthier than 17%. Against the 6,450 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 37%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Spartanburg
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (27.2%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (14.6% vs 8.9%) and no reliable transportation (13.5% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 20.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Spartanburg
56% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 20.4% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
More Spartanburg adults lack emotional support
3 in 10 adults lack social or emotional support (27.9%), vs 23.6% across South Carolina. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.6%, vs 16.4% across South Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Spartanburg has a five-star hospital
Prisma Health Greer Memorial Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Spartanburg’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Spartanburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spartanburg is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #119 of 169 in South Carolina. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 43% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Spartanburg’s median household income is $51,964; among the 6,450 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.8% of Spartanburg adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Spartanburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Spartanburg adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Spartanburg runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Spartanburg 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.
Care in and near Spartanburg
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Spartanburg, 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 Spartanburg; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Spartanburg adults…
Spartanburg runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves
Spartanburg and the towns around it
Spartanburg’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 7 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | C− | 41% | 16.3% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Hilltop | D | 42.6% | 16.5% | 17.6% | CDC place |
| Drayton | C− | 37.3% | 15.7% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Arkwright | D | 43.4% | 18.6% | 17.8% | CDC place |
| Ben Avon | A− | 35.6% | 11.9% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Saxon | D− | 47.9% | 19.3% | 22.8% | CDC place |
| Whitney | C− | 40.3% | 14.8% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Spartanburg adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Spartanburg
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Spartanburg is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 19; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Spartanburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Spartanburg | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.3%23–27.8 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.9–17.2 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.7–20.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41%36.5–45.9 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.3%14.7–18.1 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.7%38.7–44.8 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34.8–41.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.7–31.7 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.3%6.7–8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.5–7.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.6%7.8–9.5 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.4–5.1 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.4%17.6–23.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%13.6–17.4 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.5%28.2–35.1 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.7–16.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.7%36.3–45.4 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.3%12.6–16.2 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%77.6–83.1 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%53–59.2 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.3%82.5–86 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%78.2–82.3 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.7%62.6–70.7 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.8%75.6–85.5 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%21–26.9 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%31.3–39.3 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.9%24.7–31.2 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.2%24.7–29.9 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20%17.9–22.2 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.6%13–16.2 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.5%12.1–14.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.8%18.7–22.9 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.8%34.5–41.3 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.1%17.3–20.9 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%16–19.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.2%7.6–8.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.6–12.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.6–6.5 | 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 Spartanburg
Is Spartanburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spartanburg is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #119 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Spartanburg?
CDC estimates 41% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.5% and 45.9%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Spartanburg?
Spartanburg Medical Center in Spartanburg, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Spartanburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Spartanburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.6–16.2%), 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 Spartanburg 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 Spartanburg.
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.