On CDC estimates, Central is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Central trails Tennessee on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Central. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Central
Central is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Central is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Central
1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.6%), vs 8.6% across Tennessee. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.4%), vs 7% across Tennessee. Stroke is also above the state: 5.2%, vs 3.7% across Tennessee. In all, Central runs above Tennessee on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Tennessee 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Central
48.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 58.1% across Tennessee. Among those 65 and older, 22.7% have lost all their teeth (Tennessee 14.6%). Checkups ↓
Central is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Central is healthier than 4%. Against the 1,721 towns with similar household incomes ($28K–$47K), it’s healthier than 27%. 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 Tennessee figure falls outside Central’s likely range.
What’s behind Central’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Central is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 20% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Central’s median household income is $37,444; among the 1,721 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($28K–$47K), it’s healthier than 27%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Central adults…
Central runs above TN on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Central is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Central as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Central adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
Care in and near Central
No hospital or community health center in Central 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 Central; ≈ 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 Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Central 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.
17.6% of Central adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Central and the towns around it
Central’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central | D− | 40.2% | 17.9% | 23.2% | CDC place |
| Elizabethton | D | 36.3% | 14.4% | 19.3% | CDC place |
| Johnson City | C | 36.2% | 12.7% | 17.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Central adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Central
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Central is better than Tennessee on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Central’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Central | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.7%25.2–34.4 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.2–22.9 | 14.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.1%18.4–23.9 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.2%32.8–48 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.9%15.4–20.7 | 13.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.5%42.9–52.1 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.4%40.9–50 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.8%35.9–43.7 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.3 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.2–11.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.6%11.5–16.1 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.2%4.6–6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.7%18.8–26.9 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23.2%19–27.4 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34%28.2–40.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.2–15.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.6%37.9–51.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12%9.4–15.1 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.3–82.5 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.4%44.6–52.4 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84–88.4 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.6–81.4 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.1%53.6–64.8 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.1%65.2–80.4 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 32.5%28.2–36.9 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.1–29.1 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.7%15.8–19.7 | 16.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%11.2–14.4 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.7–10.6 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.6%15.6–19.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 46%40.3–51.8 | 35.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.7%20.3–27.4 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.7%17.8–23.8 | 17.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.7%6.6–9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.9%11–15 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.2–7.2 | 4.1% | 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 Tennessee figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Central
Is Central a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Central is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Central?
CDC estimates 40.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 48%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Central?
Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Central’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Central have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–15.1%), 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 Central 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 Central.
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.