Photo: rjones0856 from USA · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Dover is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Dover trails Tennessee on 6 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dover. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dover
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Dover
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.7%), vs 8.6% across Tennessee. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 7% across Tennessee. Cancer is also above the state: 9.9%, vs 8.2% across Tennessee. In all, Dover runs above Tennessee on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dover has a community health center but no hospital
Stewart County Community Health is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Houston County Community Hospital in Erin, 14.1 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 Dover’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Dover’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dover is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 28% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Dover’s median household income is $75,190; among the 10,847 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 6%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Dover adults…
Dover runs above TN on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Dover
1 community health center in Dover, 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 Dover; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Dover adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Dover 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.
16.2% of Dover adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Dover and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | D | 39.1% | 14.6% | 19.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dover adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dover
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dover is better than Tennessee on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Dover’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dover | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%21–29.6 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.4–19.6 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%16.8–22 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.1%30.4–48.5 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%12.4–16.9 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 42.8%38–47.4 | 39.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%36–45.3 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.2%31.3–38.9 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.4–12.2 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%8.9–11.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.4–9.7 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.7%8.8–12.9 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%13.6–20.6 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.7%15.8–23.7 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.8%24.2–35.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.3–16.9 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4%32–47.1 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%9.4–15.5 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%74.5–81.7 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.8%49.7–57.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%83.6–88.4 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%74.9–80.5 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.7%56–67 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%60.7–78 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29%24.8–33.3 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28%24.4–32 | 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 | 13%11.5–14.7 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%8–10.5 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.2%14.2–18.2 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40%34.4–45.7 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.4%16.3–22.8 | 16.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%15.6–21.4 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.7%8.5–11.1 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9–12.8 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%3.9–5.5 | 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 Dover
Is Dover a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dover is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 6%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dover?
CDC estimates 39.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.4% and 48.5%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dover?
Houston County Community Hospital in Erin, 14.1 miles in a straight line from Dover’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Dover have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–15.5%), 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 Dover 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 Dover.
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.