Photo: Ichabod · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Watertown is healthier than 65%
Watertown beats Tennessee on 5 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Watertown. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Watertown
Watertown is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Watertown is healthier than 50%. Against the 10,343 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 65%. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Watertown
Watertown runs below Tennessee on diabetes (11% vs 13.6%), heart disease (5.7% vs 7%) and stroke (3.1% vs 3.7%). Conditions ↓
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 Watertown’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Watertown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watertown is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 76% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Watertown’s median household income is $68,148; among the 10,343 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Watertown adults…
Watertown runs below TN on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Watertown
No hospital or community health center in Watertown 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 Watertown; ≈ 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 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Watertown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.
How Watertown 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.
13.4% of Watertown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Tennessee.
Watertown and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown | B− | 32% | 11% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Watertown adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Watertown
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Watertown is better than Tennessee on 5 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Tennessee figure falls inside Watertown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Watertown | TN | U.S. | vs TN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%16.5–23.2 | 22.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.2–16.4 | 14.9% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%17.6–23 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%25.3–39.1 | 37.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11%9.4–12.7 | 13.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.4–38.4 | 39.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%32.7–41.1 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.2%25–31.5 | 30.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.8 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%6.9–8.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5–6.5 | 7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.5%6.2–8.9 | 8.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.1%8.2–12.4 | 14.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%13.3–20.2 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.1%18.8–27.8 | 26.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.1–19.3 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8%33.4–46.8 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.1%7.6–12.8 | 11.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%73.5–81 | 78.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.4%52.7–60.4 | 58.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%83.8–88.3 | 86.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.3–76.8 | 76.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62%56.4–67.6 | 63.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%71.9–85.1 | 75.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.6%25.6–33.9 | 28.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%23.7–31.5 | 27.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 16.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.3%11.7–15 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.8%7.6–10.1 | 9.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.4%11.7–15.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%29–39.1 | 35.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%11.8–16.6 | 16.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%14.8–20.5 | 17.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.9–5.2 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.3–10.3 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%2.9–4 | 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 Watertown
Is Watertown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watertown is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Watertown?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.3% and 39.1%, against 37.6% across Tennessee and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Watertown?
Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital in Lebanon, 13.3 miles in a straight line from Watertown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Watertown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–12.8%), 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 Watertown 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 Watertown.
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.