Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fall Branch is healthier than 69%
Fall Branch differs from Tennessee on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fall Branch. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fall Branch
Fall Branch is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fall Branch is healthier than 33%. Against the 5,859 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 69%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease run high in Fall Branch
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.3%), vs 8.2% across Tennessee. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 7% across Tennessee. In all, Fall Branch runs above Tennessee on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Tennessee 17%), and cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fall Branch keeps up with checkups
It beats Tennessee on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (64.1% vs 58.1%) and cholesterol checks (89.1% vs 86.6%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Fall Branch adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Tennessee. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Fall Branch’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Fall Branch’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fall Branch is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 54% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Fall Branch’s median household income is $50,208; among the 5,859 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 69%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Fall Branch compares well: cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.1% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.2% (U.S. 76.5%); worried about having enough food, 10.7% (U.S. 15%).
Out of every 100 Fall Branch adults…
Fall Branch runs above TN on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Fall Branch is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Fall Branch as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fall Branch adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.1% of Fall Branch adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Care in and near Fall Branch
No hospital or community health center in Fall Branch 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 Fall Branch; ≈ 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 Fall Branch 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.
Fall Branch and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Branch | C | 35.7% | 14.2% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fall Branch adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fall Branch
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fall Branch is better than Tennessee on 9 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Fall Branch’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fall Branch | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.5%18.5–24.8 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–18.1 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.8–19.9 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.7%30.9–40.9 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.5–16.1 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.3%37.9–44.8 | 39.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.3%37.9–44.9 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.4%33.4–39.7 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.3%10.4–12.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%8.2–11.3 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%11.1–15.6 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%13.9–19.7 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.4%21.6–29.5 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%12.2–16.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%30.8–40.1 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.1–11.4 | 11.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%77.3–82.4 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.1%61–67.2 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.1%87.5–90.5 | 86.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%77.8–82.5 | 76.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.1%65.1–72.9 | 63.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%67.6–80.8 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.2%26.1–32.7 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21.4–27.2 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%7.1–9.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.2%33.1–41.6 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.5%15–20.2 | 16.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%13.8–18.1 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.3–5.7 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.7–10.3 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.4–4.5 | 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 Fall Branch
Is Fall Branch a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fall Branch is healthier than 33% 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 Fall Branch?
CDC estimates 35.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 40.9%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fall Branch?
Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Fall Branch’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fall Branch have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–11.4%), 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 Fall Branch 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 Fall Branch.
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.