Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0Within Tennessee, Karns is healthier than 81% of graded towns
Karns beats Tennessee on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Karns. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Karns
Karns looks healthier next to Tennessee than next to the country
It’s healthier than 81% of the 176 Tennessee towns we grade, but 57% of towns nationwide. Much of Tennessee scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Karns’ lead shrinks
Karns is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but 36% of the 8,582 towns with similar household incomes ($75K–$125K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Karns 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 ↓
Stroke and diabetes are less common in Karns
Karns runs below Tennessee on four chronic conditions, most of all stroke (3% vs 3.7%), diabetes (11.2% vs 13.6%) and COPD (7.2% vs 8.6%). Conditions ↓
Karns is an active town
Only 22.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.6% across Tennessee. Habits ↓
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 Karns’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Karns’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Karns is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #34 of 176 in Tennessee. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 71% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Karns’ median household income is $100,043; among the 8,582 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$125K), it’s healthier than 36%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.9% of Karns adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Out of every 100 Karns adults…
Karns runs below TN on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
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
Care in and near Karns
No hospital or community health center in Karns 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 Karns; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Karns adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Karns 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.
Karns and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karns | B | 33.3% | 11.2% | 15.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Karns adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Karns
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Karns is better than Tennessee on 14 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Karns’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Karns | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.4%15.7–21.1 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%16.9–21.5 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.3%28.5–37.9 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.7–12.7 | 13.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 35.7%32.2–39 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%32.7–39.6 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.3–32.1 | 30.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.8–9.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.1–6.6 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.2%6.1–8.3 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.2%9–13.5 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%13–18.4 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%18.8–26 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.9–19.2 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.8%29.1–38.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.3–11 | 11.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%74.7–80.8 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.6%62.3–68.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86–89.3 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.6%71.6–77.4 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.7%62.1–70.9 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%67.7–81.6 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 31.6%28–35.2 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.2%22.2–28.5 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11%9.8–12.4 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10%8.8–11.3 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%6.2–7.6 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.6–35.3 | 35.8% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.4%11.5–15.5 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.2–18.6 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6–7.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.7–4.8 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7–9.3 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 4.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Karns
Is Karns a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Karns is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #34 of 176 in Tennessee. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Karns?
CDC estimates 33.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.5% and 37.9%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Karns?
Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Karns’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Karns have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.3–11%), 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 Karns more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Karns.
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.