On CDC estimates, Bluff City is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns
On every measure CDC estimates, Bluff City looks like Tennessee as a whole.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bluff City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bluff City
What’s behind Bluff City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bluff City is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 44% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Bluff City’s median household income is $61,059; among the 9,183 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Care in and near Bluff City
1 community health center in Bluff City, 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 Bluff City; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Bluff City adults…
On every condition, Bluff City is about the same as Tennessee. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Bluff City residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bluff City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Bluff City adults are doing
About the same as Tennessee on each measure.
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.
12.5% of Bluff City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Bluff City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluff City | C | 36.9% | 12.8% | 18.9% | CDC place |
| Bristol | C− | 37.8% | 14.9% | 19% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bluff City adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bluff City
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bluff City is better than Tennessee on 0 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Bluff City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bluff City | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.3%19.2–25.5 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.4–17.4 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.6%18.2–23.1 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%32–41.8 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11–14.5 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%33.8–40.5 | 39.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%33–39.6 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.9–34.7 | 30.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.1–12.8 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.7 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.8%7.5–10.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.1%11.5–16.9 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.9%15.6–22.2 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.7%22.6–30.9 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12–16.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.9%33.4–42.3 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%8.3–13.6 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%74–80.4 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.8%57.4–63.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%83.9–88.1 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.5%73.7–79 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.7%62.4–70.6 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.5%73.7–84.3 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 31.9%28.2–35.5 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.7%23.5–30 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15%13.4–16.8 | 16.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7.1–9.3 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.7–9.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.5%11–14.2 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.1%31.9–40.5 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%13.9–18.4 | 16.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%15.7–20.9 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.7–8.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.3–5.6 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.1–11 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 4.1% | 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 Bluff City
Is Bluff City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bluff City is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. 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 Bluff City?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 41.8%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bluff City?
Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton, 8.1 miles in a straight line from Bluff City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bluff City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–13.6%), 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 Bluff City 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 Bluff City.
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.