On CDC estimates, Whitney is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Whitney differs from South Carolina on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Whitney. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Whitney
More Whitney adults lack emotional support
3 in 10 adults lack social or emotional support (29.6%), vs 23.6% across South Carolina. Loneliness is above the state too: 36.2%, vs 31.7% across South Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Whitney
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25.4%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Housing insecurity (19.4% vs 13.3%) and no reliable transportation (11.8% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 15.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Whitney adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.1%), vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Whitney is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Whitney is healthier than 16%. Against the 6,224 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 37%. 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 Whitney’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Whitney’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whitney is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #120 of 169 in South Carolina. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 35% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Whitney’s median household income is $51,275; among the 6,224 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Whitney compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
How Whitney adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Whitney runs above South Carolina.
4 in 10 Whitney 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.
15.9% of Whitney adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
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.
Out of every 100 Whitney adults…
Whitney runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Whitney
No hospital or community health center in Whitney itself. These are the nearest.
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 Whitney; ≈ 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 Whitney adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Whitney and the towns around it
Whitney’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitney | C− | 40.3% | 14.8% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| Spartanburg | C− | 41% | 16.3% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Drayton | C− | 37.3% | 15.7% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Hilltop | D | 42.6% | 16.5% | 17.6% | CDC place |
| Valley Falls | B− | 36.5% | 10.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Whitney adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Whitney
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Whitney is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Whitney’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Whitney | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%22.3–28.3 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14.1–17.7 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.7–20.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.3%35.5–45.4 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.8%13.1–16.6 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%36.3–42.8 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.8%34.7–41.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.1%25.6–30.8 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.2–11.6 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.5–7.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 7.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 3.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.6%14–19.7 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.3%14.1–18.7 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.1%28.3–36.1 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.4–17.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.2%35.7–44.9 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.6%15.1–20.3 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%75.2–81.2 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%52.8–59.3 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%81.8–85.9 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%76–80.9 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.5%60.4–68.6 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%73.8–84.3 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%21–27.1 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%31.9–40.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.6%26.1–33.2 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.4%22.3–28.5 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.4%17–21.9 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.2%10.7–13.8 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.5–13.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.9%13.7–18.3 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.8%34–41.8 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%15.9–20.2 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%16.2–20.5 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.5–12.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 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 Whitney
Is Whitney a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whitney is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #120 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 Whitney?
CDC estimates 40.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.5% and 45.4%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Whitney?
Spartanburg Medical Center in Spartanburg, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Whitney’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Whitney have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.1–20.3%), 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 Whitney 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 Whitney.
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.