Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Valley Falls is healthier than 84%
Valley Falls differs from South Carolina on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Valley Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Valley Falls
Valley Falls is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Valley Falls is healthier than 53%. Against the 7,628 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 84%. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Valley Falls
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.2%), vs 16.4% across South Carolina. Depression is above the state too: 26.2%, vs 22.3% across South Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Valley Falls
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.6%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. No reliable transportation (11.5% vs 8.6%) and housing insecurity (16.4% vs 13.3%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Health varies a lot right around Valley Falls
Grades next door run from Boiling Springs (B+) to Southern Shops (D−). Valley Falls is a B−. Around town ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Valley Falls
Valley Falls runs below South Carolina on seven chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.9% vs 8.6%), heart disease (4.7% vs 6.8%) and stroke (2.8% vs 3.9%). A young population is part of it: only 9% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%). Conditions ↓
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 Valley Falls’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Valley Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valley Falls is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #57 of 169 in South Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 75% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Valley Falls’ median household income is $55,661; among the 7,628 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 84%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Valley Falls adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Valley Falls runs above South Carolina.
4 in 10 Valley Falls 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.
12.9% of Valley Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Out of every 100 Valley Falls adults…
Valley Falls runs below SC on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Valley Falls residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Valley Falls and the towns around it
Valley Falls’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Falls | B− | 36.5% | 10.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Boiling Springs | B+ | 35.6% | 11.7% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Southern Shops | D− | 48.3% | 18.7% | 25.6% | CDC place |
| Whitney | C− | 40.3% | 14.8% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Valley Falls
1 community health center in Valley Falls, 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 Valley Falls; ≈ 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.
0.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Valley Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Valley Falls adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Valley Falls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Valley Falls is better than South Carolina on 9 and worse on 11; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Valley Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Valley Falls | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.7%17.3–22.2 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.6–14.5 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%18.1–22.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.5%32–41.4 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%9.2–11.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.5%28.8–34.5 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.7%29.8–35.7 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22%20–24.2 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.6 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.4–6.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.8–12.8 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.9–14.6 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.1%22.7–29.7 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%14.1–19.6 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%34.2–43.2 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.3%11.3–15.6 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.9%73.6–80.1 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.9%58.8–65.2 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81%78.5–83.2 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.4%69.9–74.9 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%63–71.1 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%75.7–85.5 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.2%23.1–29.4 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.9%32.7–41 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27%23.8–30.4 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.6%18.5–24.8 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.4%14.2–18.6 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.5%9.2–12 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%10–13.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.9%10.8–15.2 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.7%30.1–37.5 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%11.1–13.9 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%16.1–20.4 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.8–6 | 7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5–6.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 4.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Valley Falls
Is Valley Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Valley Falls is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #57 of 169 in South Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Valley Falls?
CDC estimates 36.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 41.4%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Valley Falls?
Spartanburg Medical Center in Spartanburg, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Valley Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Valley Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–15.6%), 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 Valley Falls more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Valley Falls.
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.