Sumter County Courthouse · Photo: The original uploader was Pollinator at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Sumter is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns
Sumter differs from South Carolina on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sumter. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sumter
Making ends meet is harder in Sumter
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25.3%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (13.8% vs 8.9%) and no reliable transportation (12.7% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 18.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Sumter
56.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 18% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
Obesity and stroke run high in Sumter
2 in 5 adults have obesity (42.3%), vs 35.8% across South Carolina. 1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.6%), vs 3.9% across South Carolina. Conditions ↓
Sumter is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sumter is healthier than 26%. Against the 7,611 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 48%. 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 Sumter’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Sumter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sumter is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, #94 of 169 in South Carolina. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 49% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Sumter’s median household income is $55,592; among the 7,611 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Few South Carolina towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Sumter is healthier than 45% of graded towns, against 26% nationally.
Where Sumter compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.9% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.7% of Sumter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sumter adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Out of every 100 Sumter adults…
Sumter runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Sumter
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Sumter, 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 Sumter; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
How Sumter adults are doing
About the same as South Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Sumter 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.
Sumter and the towns around it
Sumter’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter | C | 42.3% | 15.5% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| South Sumter | D− | 51.2% | 23.4% | 19.4% | CDC place |
| Mulberry | — | — | — | — | |
| East Sumter | — | — | — | — | |
| Lakewood | D | 45.9% | 19.1% | 19.9% | CDC place |
| Cherryvale | C+ | 42.8% | 13.6% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Cane Savannah | C+ | 41.8% | 13.7% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Oakland | B | 38.9% | 13.1% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Mulberry and East Sumter: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sumter adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sumter
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sumter is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Sumter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sumter | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.9%20.5–25.5 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13–16.3 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.9–19.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.3%36.6–48.2 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.8–17.4 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.2%36.7–43.8 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.1%32.6–39.9 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.8%25.1–30.6 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12.1 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.3–7.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6.1–7.4 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 7.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.3–5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%15.2–21 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%13.1–17.1 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.6%24.1–31.5 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.6–16.7 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.2%38–48.5 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.6%78.5–84.4 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%53–59.5 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.5–87.1 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%77.3–81.8 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%64.6–72.9 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%70.4–83.1 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%18.2–24.4 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35%30.8–39.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.5%23.2–29.8 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.3%22.7–28 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.3%17.1–21.5 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.8%12.3–15.4 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.7%11.4–14.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.7%16.8–20.8 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.9%29.3–36.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%15.3–19.1 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.6–18.1 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%6.9–8.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.7–11.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5.2–6.1 | 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 Sumter
Is Sumter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sumter is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #94 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 48%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sumter?
CDC estimates 42.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.6% and 48.2%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sumter?
Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital in Sumter, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Sumter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sumter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.6–15.1%), 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 Sumter 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 Sumter.
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.