Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Spencer is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Spencer differs from Tennessee on 11 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Spencer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Spencer
COPD, cancer and heart disease run high in Spencer
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.7%), vs 8.6% across Tennessee. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.2% across Tennessee. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.2%, vs 7% across Tennessee. In all, Spencer runs above Tennessee on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Tennessee 17%), and COPD, cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Spencer, and more people treating it
45% of adults have high blood pressure (Tennessee 39.5%), but 79.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Spencer is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Spencer is healthier than 11%. Against the 4,549 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 33%. Health Grade ↓
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 Spencer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Spencer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spencer is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 34% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Spencer’s median household income is $46,705; among the 4,549 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 33%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Spencer compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.8% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Spencer adults…
Spencer runs above TN on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Spencer is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Tennessee. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Spencer as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Spencer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
Care in and near Spencer
1 community health center in Spencer, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Spencer; ≈ 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.
0.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Spencer 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.
18.5% of Spencer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Spencer and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer | D | 38.2% | 15.5% | 20.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Spencer adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Spencer
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Spencer is better than Tennessee on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Spencer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Spencer | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.7%21.3–29.9 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.3–20.5 | 14.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.1–22.2 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.2%29.5–47.5 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.2–17.9 | 13.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 45%40.3–49.9 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.8%39–48.7 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.4%34.5–42.5 | 30.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.8–12.7 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.2%8–10.5 | 7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.7%9.6–13.8 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4–5.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%15.5–22.7 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.4%16.8–24.3 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.9%24.9–36.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.3–15.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.4%30.4–44.9 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.7%9–14.9 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76–83.1 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.7%51–58.5 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%85.9–89.7 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.7–82.5 | 76.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.8%57.6–67.8 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.8%64.4–80.2 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.6%25.4–34.1 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.1%23.4–31 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.1%17.1–21.2 | 16.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%12–15.3 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.9%8.9–10.9 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%16.3–20.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.5%35.7–47.3 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.8%17.2–24.1 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%15.7–21.2 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.1–7.1 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.1–12.7 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4–5.7 | 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 Spencer
Is Spencer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spencer is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 33%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Spencer?
CDC estimates 38.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 47.5%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Spencer?
Saint Thomas Highlands Hospital in Sparta, 14.5 miles in a straight line from Spencer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Spencer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–14.9%), 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 Spencer 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 Spencer.
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.