Within Tennessee, Spurgeon is healthier than 79% of graded towns
Spurgeon differs from Tennessee on 13 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Spurgeon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Spurgeon
Spurgeon is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Spurgeon is healthier than 53%. Against the 9,766 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 75%. Health Grade ↓
Spurgeon looks healthier next to Tennessee than next to the country
It’s healthier than 79% of the 176 Tennessee towns we grade, but 53% of towns nationwide. Much of Tennessee scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in Spurgeon
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.6%), vs 8.2% across Tennessee. Conditions ↓
Fewer Spurgeon 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 ↓
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 Spurgeon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Spurgeon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spurgeon is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #38 of 176 in Tennessee. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 69% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). Spurgeon’s median household income is $64,250; among the 9,766 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 75%, more 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.
9.1% of Spurgeon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Out of every 100 Spurgeon adults…
Spurgeon runs below TN on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Spurgeon
No hospital or community health center in Spurgeon 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 Spurgeon; ≈ 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Spurgeon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Spurgeon 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.
Spurgeon and the towns around it
Spurgeon has the best Health Grade of the 4 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spurgeon | B− | 34.4% | 11.7% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Johnson City | C | 36.2% | 12.7% | 17.4% | CDC place |
| Oak Grove | B− | 34.8% | 12.3% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Gray | B− | 35.1% | 11.8% | 16% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Spurgeon adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Spurgeon
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Spurgeon is better than Tennessee on 12 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Spurgeon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Spurgeon | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.8%16.6–21.3 | 22.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.6–15.6 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.7–20.6 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%30.2–39.2 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10.5–13.1 | 13.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 36%33.2–39 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%34–39.9 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.4%29–34 | 30.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.8–11.9 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.9–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.6%6.6–8.7 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%3–3.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.3%7.8–10.9 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%12.8–17.6 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.7%19.8–26.2 | 26.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%13.5–18 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.8%31.6–39.8 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.3–10.9 | 11.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%75.4–80.8 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.3%61.4–66.9 | 58.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.1%86.4–89.7 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.1%74.9–79.3 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%63.2–70 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%71–81.5 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.6%27.6–33.7 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.6%22–27.5 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%10.5–12.8 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 9.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.5–7.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%8.1–10.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%30.1–37.2 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.6–16.1 | 16.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%13.9–17.7 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.1–9.1 | 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 Spurgeon
Is Spurgeon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spurgeon is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #38 of 176 in Tennessee. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 75%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Spurgeon?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 39.2%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Spurgeon?
Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, 6.9 miles in a straight line from Spurgeon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Spurgeon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.3–10.9%), 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 Spurgeon 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 Spurgeon.
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.