Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Sewanee is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Sewanee differs from Tennessee on 23 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sewanee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sewanee
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Sewanee
Sewanee runs below Tennessee on nine chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (5% vs 13.6%), stroke (1.4% vs 3.7%) and heart disease (2.8% vs 7%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Tennessee 17%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Sewanee doesn’t win on
19.2% of adults binge drink, vs 14.6% across Tennessee, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Sewanee’s lead shrinks
Sewanee is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but 53% of the 3,930 towns with similar household incomes ($102K–$170K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Few Sewanee adults smoke
8.7% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 17.3% 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 Sewanee’s likely range.
What’s behind Sewanee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sewanee is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #13 of 176 in Tennessee. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Sewanee’s median household income is $136,111; among the 3,930 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($102K–$170K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Sewanee adults…
Sewanee runs below TN on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Sewanee residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Tennessee
Share of adults, with the Tennessee figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Sewanee
No hospital or community health center in Sewanee 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 Sewanee; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Sewanee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Sewanee adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Sewanee runs above Tennessee.
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.
5.1% of Sewanee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Sewanee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewanee | A | 24.5% | 5% | 8.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sewanee adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sewanee
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sewanee is better than Tennessee on 18 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Sewanee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sewanee | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%10.8–17.3 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.4%7.7–11.2 | 14.9% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23.6%19.2–27.6 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.5%18.9–31.2 | 37.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 5%4.3–5.8 | 13.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 19.5%16.9–22.4 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 23.2%20.3–26.2 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 13.6%12–15.4 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.5–12.7 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 2.8%2.5–3.2 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.7%3–4.4 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.4%1.3–1.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%10.3–15.8 | 14.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.7%6.3–11.3 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18%13.7–22.9 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.2%15.6–23.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.3%29.8–43.6 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%5.9–12.4 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.7%66.7–76.1 | 78.1% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.1%60.4–68.1 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 75.2%70.1–79.8 | 86.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 57.6%55.1–60.1 | 76.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.1–73.4 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%68.3–82.7 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 33.4%28.6–38.5 | 28.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%22.3–29.5 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.6–8.7 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4.2–5.6 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.1%4.4–5.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%24.8–37.1 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 6.9%5.8–8.1 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.1%15.4–24.8 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%2.8–4.2 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%6.2–10.4 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.5–2 | 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 Sewanee
Is Sewanee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sewanee is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #13 of 176 in Tennessee. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 53%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sewanee?
CDC estimates 24.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.9% and 31.2%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sewanee?
Southern Tennessee Regional Health System Winchest in Winchester, 9.7 miles in a straight line from Sewanee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sewanee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–12.4%), 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 Sewanee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sewanee.
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.