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Wiggins-House-Benton-tnPhoto: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
≈ C−Health Grade
Health in Benton · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Benton is healthier than 83%

Benton trails Tennessee on 1 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Benton. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Benton

Benton is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Benton is healthier than 16%. Against the 503 towns with similar household incomes ($22K–$37K), it’s healthier than 83%. Health Grade ↓

Benton has a community health center but no hospital

Ocoee Regional Health is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Affiliate of Vitruvian Health in Cleveland, 12.3 miles away. 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 Tennessee figure falls outside Benton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Benton’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 39% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 6%).

CSelf-rated health22.6% · TN 22.4% · U.S. 19.4%
C−Physical distress16% · TN 14.9% · U.S. 13%
DMental distress20.7% · TN 19.3% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity42.6% · TN 37.6% · U.S. 32.9%
C+Diabetes12.8% · TN 13.6% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking19.6% smoke · TN 17.3% · U.S. 11.8%
CExercise27.8% · TN 26.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 16%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $22K–$37K (503)Healthier than 83%

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). Benton’s median household income is $29,414; among the 503 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($22K–$37K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Benton could be anywhere from D− to B−. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Getting care

Care in and near Benton

1 community health center in Benton, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERAffiliate of Vitruvian HealthCleveland · 12.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyStarr Regional Medical Center Athens★★★★★ · 19.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOcoee Regional HealthBenton · 1.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.2 mi
Ocoee Regional Health
3 sites · nearest in Benton
Sliding-scale feesIn Benton
Directions to nearest
12.3 mi
Affiliate of Vitruvian Health
Cleveland · ★★★★★
ER
≈19.7 mi
Starr Regional Medical Center Athens
Athens · ★★★★★
ER
20.9 mi
CHS Englewood Clinic
Englewood · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
23.8 mi
Blue Ridge Medical Center
Blue Ridge · not rated
ERRural critical access
30.1 mi
Adventhealth Murray
Chatsworth · ★★★★★
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Benton itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Benton itself
✓ Mental healthBenton is not a shortage area

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 Benton; ≈ 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).

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Benton adults…

Benton runs above TN on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

40 of every 100 Benton adults have high blood pressure
Tennessee: 40 in 100 · about the same · likely 35.3–44.1%
Better than TNWorseAbout the sameTennessee
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee

Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.

Get no exercise 27.8%TN 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 39.1%TN 38.2%
Binge drink 15.8%TN 14.6%
Smoke cigarettes 19.6%TN 17.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Benton, betterBenton, worseAbout the sameTennessee
Where Benton gets moving

0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Benton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.

77%Yearly checkupTN 78%
60%Dentist visitTN 58%
86%Cholesterol checkTN 87%
62%Colon screeningTN 63%
73%MammogramTN 75%
75%Taking BP medsTN 76%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Benton 11% · Tennessee 1 in 9 (11.6%)
Mind & connection

How Benton adults are doing

About the same as Tennessee on each measure.

1 in 4Benton adults lack social or emotional support
26.4% · TN 27.2% · About the same as TN
1 in 3Benton adults have been diagnosed with depression
31.2% · TN 28.4% · About the same as TN
1 in 5Benton adults are in frequent mental distress
20.7% · TN 19.3% · About the same as TN
The one neighbors can help with

A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 7
Benton adults worry about having enough food
15.3% · TN 16.2%
About the same as TN
1 in 8
Benton adults worry about keeping their housing
12.2% · TN 13.3%
About the same as TN
1 in 12
Benton adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.5% · TN 9.1%
About the same as TN
1 in 11
Benton adults lack reliable transportation
8.7% · TN 8.9%
About the same as TN

13.6% of Benton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.

Around town

Benton and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
BentonC−42.6%12.8%19.6%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

37.3%

of Benton adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.7%
Thinking or memory18.4%
Hearing8.1%
Errands alone9.8%
Vision5.1%
Dressing or bathing4%
Tennessee

Every CDC estimate for Benton

Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Benton is better than Tennessee on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Benton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…BentonTNU.S.vs TN
Overall health
Fair or poor health22.6%19.1–26.522.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)16%13.9–18.414.9%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)20.7%18.1–23.419.3%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity42.6%34.3–51.537.6%32.9%About the same
Diabetes12.8%11–14.813.6%12%About the same
High blood pressure39.6%35.3–44.139.5%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)39.2%34.8–43.838.3%37.1%About the same
Arthritis32.8%29.2–36.430.6%25.3%About the same
Asthma11.3%10–12.811%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer8.8%8–9.88.2%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease7.1%6.2–8.17%6.4%About the same
COPD9.4%8–11.18.6%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.6%3.2–4.13.7%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)18.9%15.7–2314.6%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.6%16.3–23.417.3%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work27.8%22.7–3326.6%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.8%12.9–1914.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours39.1%32.2–46.638.2%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)11%8.3–14.211.6%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year76.7%72.8–80.378.1%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year60%56.2–6458.1%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.9%83.5–88.286.6%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)75.3%72.1–78.276.2%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)61.5%56.2–66.663.2%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)73.4%65–80.875.2%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression31.2%27–35.728.4%20.6%About the same
Lack social and emotional support26.4%22.8–30.327.2%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food15.3%13.7–17.216.2%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing12.2%10.8–13.813.3%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off8.5%7.5–9.79.1%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation8.7%7.9–9.68.9%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)13.6%12–15.414.3%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability37.3%32.2–42.535.8%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs16.7%14.2–19.516.3%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering18.4%15.9–21.317.4%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.1%7.1–9.27.6%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty5.1%4.4–5.95.5%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone9.8%8.3–11.39.5%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing4%3.4–4.74.1%3.8%About the same

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 Tennessee figure falls inside that range.

Questions about health in Benton

Is Benton a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton is healthier than 16% 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 Benton?

CDC estimates 42.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.3% and 51.5%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Benton?

Affiliate of Vitruvian Health in Cleveland, 12.3 miles in a straight line from Benton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Benton have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 11% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–14.2%), against 11.6% across Tennessee.

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 Benton 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 Benton.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Tennessee 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.