Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Fincastle is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Fincastle differs from Tennessee on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fincastle. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fincastle
Fincastle is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Fincastle is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Fincastle
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.5%), vs 8.6% across Tennessee. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10%), vs 7% across Tennessee. Stroke is also above the state: 5%, vs 3.7% across Tennessee. In all, Fincastle runs above Tennessee on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Fincastle
52.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 58.1% across Tennessee. Among those 65 and older, 23.9% have lost all their teeth (Tennessee 14.6%). Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Fincastle, and more people treating it
45.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Tennessee 39.5%), but 80% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Fincastle’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Fincastle’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fincastle is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 18% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Fincastle’s median household income is $51,591; among the 6,330 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 13%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Fincastle compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Fincastle adults…
Fincastle runs above TN on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fincastle adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
Care in and near Fincastle
No hospital or community health center in Fincastle 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 Fincastle; ≈ 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 Fincastle 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.
13.7% of Fincastle adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Fincastle and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fincastle | D | 41.3% | 16.2% | 20.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fincastle adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fincastle
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fincastle is better than Tennessee on 3 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Fincastle’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fincastle | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.8%22.8–30.9 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.1–21.1 | 14.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.5–22.5 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.3%32.9–50.3 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.2%14–18.6 | 13.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.3%40.7–50 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.8%39.1–48.6 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.4%34.5–42.3 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.8 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10–12.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10%8.8–11.3 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.5%10.6–14.6 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.4–5.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.9%19.7–28.3 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.9%17.4–24.5 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.3%26.1–37 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.4–15.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.2%30.4–44.4 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%9.3–14.7 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%75.8–82.7 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.7%48.7–56.5 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.3–89.3 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80%77.1–82.6 | 76.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.6%57.1–67.5 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.8%58.7–76 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.8%25.7–34.2 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.4–28.7 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.7%13–16.6 | 16.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.6–12.5 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.9–9 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.7%12.1–15.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.8%36.6–47.3 | 35.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.5%18.5–24.7 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.1%16.5–22 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.9%9.7–12.4 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%5.7–7.7 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.5%9.9–13.3 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.5–6.1 | 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 Fincastle
Is Fincastle a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fincastle is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 13%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fincastle?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 50.3%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fincastle?
Lafollette Medical Center in La Follette, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Fincastle’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fincastle have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.3–14.7%), 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 Fincastle 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 Fincastle.
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.