Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, St. Matthews is healthier than 59%
St. Matthews differs from South Carolina on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Matthews. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Matthews
Stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure run high in St. Matthews
1 in 17 adults have had a stroke (5.9%), vs 3.9% across South Carolina. 1 in 5 adults have diabetes (19.6%), vs 13.9% across South Carolina. High blood pressure is also above the state: 49.3%, vs 38.5% across South Carolina. In all, St. Matthews runs above South Carolina on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%), and stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
St. Matthews is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
St. Matthews’ county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
The nearest ER is 28 miles from St. Matthews
The closest emergency room is MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown in Columbia, 27.6 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Family Health Centers is closer (0.8 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in St. Matthews, and more people treating it
49.3% of adults have high blood pressure (South Carolina 38.5%), but 85.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 80.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
St. Matthews is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, St. Matthews is healthier than 27%. Against the 6,243 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 59%. 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 St. Matthews’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind St. Matthews’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Matthews is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 78% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). St. Matthews’ median household income is $51,310; among the 6,243 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 59%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where St. Matthews compares well: binge drinking, 11.6% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 85.2% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.8% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 St. Matthews adults…
St. Matthews runs above SC on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
St. Matthews 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 St. Matthews as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near St. Matthews
1 community health center in St. Matthews, 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 St. Matthews; ≈ 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 St. Matthews 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.
How St. Matthews adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, St. Matthews runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 St. Matthews 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.9% of St. Matthews adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
St. Matthews and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Matthews | C | 41.6% | 19.6% | 13.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Matthews adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Matthews
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Matthews is better than South Carolina on 4 and worse on 14; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside St. Matthews’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Matthews | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.5%21.4–27.9 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.8–17.7 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.5–17.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.6%33.7–49.6 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.6%17.3–22.1 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.3%44.9–53.5 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.8%36.3–45.5 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35%31.3–38.7 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.4–11.9 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.7–9.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16%13.2–19.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.3–15.7 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%26.6–36 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.6%9.4–14.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%31.6–45.1 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.3%10.1–14.8 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.2%82.5–87.8 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.6%55.1–62.3 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.8%88.3–91.2 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.4%83.3–87.4 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72%67.3–76.2 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.6%70.5–83.8 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.3%16.4–22.5 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.7%27.7–37.7 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.6%23.8–31.5 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.1%18.7–25.6 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.1%13.7–18.5 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.7%9.2–12.2 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.7–11.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.9%11.4–16.3 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.6%32.4–41.1 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.5%18.8–24.3 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.6–16.2 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%6.6–8.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%9.2–11.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 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 St. Matthews
Is St. Matthews a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Matthews is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Matthews?
CDC estimates 41.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.7% and 49.6%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Matthews?
Prisma Health Baptist in Columbia, 26.9 miles in a straight line from St. Matthews’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Matthews have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.1–14.8%), 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 St. Matthews 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 St. Matthews.
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.