Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Hunter is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Hunter differs from Tennessee on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hunter. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hunter
Hunter is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Hunter is healthier than 19%. Against the 6,400 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 41%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Hunter
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 8.2% across Tennessee. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 7% across Tennessee. COPD is also above the state: 10.8%, vs 8.6% across Tennessee. In all, Hunter runs above Tennessee on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Hunter, and more people treating it
44.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Tennessee 39.5%), but 79.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer Hunter adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Tennessee. 1 in 8 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 Hunter’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Hunter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hunter is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 52% of U.S. towns); physical distress 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). Hunter’s median household income is $51,815; among the 6,400 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Hunter compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.6% (U.S. 76.5%); worried about having enough food, 13.3% (U.S. 15%); worried about keeping housing, 10.4% (U.S. 12%).
Out of every 100 Hunter adults…
Hunter runs above TN on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Hunter 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.
11.9% of Hunter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Care in and near Hunter
No hospital or community health center in Hunter 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 Hunter; ≈ 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.
2.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Hunter 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.
Hunter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter | C− | 35.9% | 15.5% | 18% | CDC place |
| Elizabethton | D | 36.3% | 14.4% | 19.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hunter adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hunter
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hunter is better than Tennessee on 5 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Hunter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hunter | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24%20.1–28.1 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%14.7–19.8 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.4–21.3 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.9%28.9–43.8 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.2–17.9 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 44.9%40.4–49.6 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.3%40.6–50 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.3%34.5–42.4 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.7–12.6 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10–12.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10.3 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.8%9–12.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–5.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%14.6–21.8 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%14.8–21.6 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%23.7–34.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%10.6–15.9 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.9%35.4–49 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%7.7–12.8 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.9%76.4–83 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%52.1–60 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.3%86.5–90.1 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.7–82.2 | 76.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%58.7–69.1 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%66.7–81.7 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.5%26.3–35.1 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%20.9–27.8 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%11.8–14.9 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%9–11.7 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.5–8.5 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.9–8.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.1%35.7–46.9 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.8%16.7–23.2 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%14.9–20 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.8%8.5–11.2 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%4.8–6.5 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%8.5–11.6 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 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 Hunter
Is Hunter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hunter is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hunter?
CDC estimates 35.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 43.8%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hunter?
Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Hunter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hunter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–12.8%), 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 Hunter 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 Hunter.
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.