Health · Bethlehem

Bethlehem, NC health

Bethlehem differs from North Carolina on 9 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (5.8% vs 8.1%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (8.8% vs 12.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.7% vs 7.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Bethlehem

BHealth Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Bethlehem’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Bethlehem is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns and 58% of North Carolina towns.

B-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressB+Mental distressBObesityB-DiabetesB-SmokingBExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 58%

Less healthyHealthier

North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 58%

Towns with similar incomes, $66K–$110K (9,312)Healthier than 51%

About what its income would suggest. Bethlehem does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Bethlehem could be anywhere from C− to A.

How the Health Grade works

Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in North Carolina ranking.
Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Bethlehem with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Bethlehem uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.

Report card

How Bethlehem compares with North Carolina

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Bethlehem adults…

40 of every 100 Bethlehem adults have high blood pressure

North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 35.1–44.3%

Bars show Bethlehem; the black tick is North Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Bethlehem, betterBethlehem, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina

Get no exerciseshare of adults 23.9% Bethlehem
NC 23.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.5% Bethlehem
NC 34.2%

Binge drinkshare of adults 14.4% Bethlehem
NC 14.7%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.6% Bethlehem
NC 13.5%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Bethlehem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.

Yearly checkup

NC 80%

Dentist visit

NC 64%

Cholesterol check

NC 88%

Colon screening

NC 66%

Mammogram

NC 79%

Taking BP meds

NC 77%

1 in 11

working-age adults has no health insurance

Bethlehem 8.9% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)

Mind & connection

How Bethlehem adults are doing

1 in 3Bethlehem adults feel lonely

30.6% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call

1 in 4Bethlehem adults have been diagnosed with depression

25.2% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call

1 in 5Bethlehem adults lack social or emotional support

20.5% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call

1 in 6Bethlehem adults are in frequent mental distress

15.9% · North Carolina 16.5% · too close to call

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 9

Bethlehem adults worry about having enough food

11.6% · NC 15.2% · better

1 in 11

Bethlehem adults worry about keeping their housing

8.8% · NC 12.2% · better

1 in 17

Bethlehem adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

5.8% · NC 8.1% · better

1 in 15

Bethlehem adults lack reliable transportation

6.5% · NC 8.4% · better

9.1% of Bethlehem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

33.8%

of Bethlehem adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.8%

Thinking or memory14.4%

Hearing9.3%

Errands alone8.3%

Vision5%

Dressing or bathing4%

Black tick: North Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Bethlehem

Bethlehem and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Bethlehem.

34.6%38%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 4towns on this map, healthiest first

Bethlehem34.6%

St. Stephens37.7%

Care nearby

Frye Regional Medical CenterHickory · 5.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Catawba Valley Medical CenterHickory · 7.4 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Caldwell Memorial HospitalLenoir · 14.7 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Blue Ridge Healthcare HospitalsMorganton · 21.1 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Catawba Valley Family Medicine - Northeast HickoryHickory · 4.7 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Eastern Burke HcchConnelly Springs · 13.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careBethlehem's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alexander County · need score 14 of 25

! Dental careBethlehem's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alexander County · need score 16 of 25

! Mental healthBethlehem's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alexander County · need score 15 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bethlehem. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Bethlehem

Measure	Bethlehem	Margin	North Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	39.6%	35.1–44.3%	36.8%	about the same
High cholesterol	40%	35.3–44.8%	35.6%	about the same
Obesity	34.6%	26.6–43.3%	35.1%	about the same
Arthritis	32.5%	28.7–36.5%	26.9%	worse
Depression	25.2%	21.4–29.4%	24.2%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	11.6%	9.3–14.2%	13.9%	about the same
Asthma	10.7%	9.3–12.1%	10.8%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	10.7%	9.7–11.9%	7.9%	worse
Diabetes	12.5%	10.6–14.6%	12%	about the same
COPD	8.7%	7.3–10.3%	7.1%	worse
Heart disease	8.1%	7.1–9.3%	6.6%	worse
Stroke	4.1%	3.6–4.6%	3.6%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	14.6%	11.9–17.5%	13.5%	about the same
Binge drink	14.4%	11.8–17.6%	14.7%	about the same
Get no exercise	23.9%	19.4–28.9%	23.8%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	32.5%	25.9–39.4%	34.2%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	81%	77.6–84.3%	80%	about the same
Dentist visit	63.8%	59.9–67.5%	63.6%	about the same
Cholesterol check	89.1%	87.4–90.8%	87.5%	about the same
Colon screening	68.2%	62.9–73%	65.7%	about the same
Mammogram	75.9%	67.8–82.8%	78.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	79.8%	76.8–82.8%	76.7%	better
No health insurance	8.9%	7–11%	10.4%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	30.6%	25.7–36.1%	32.5%	about the same
Lack emotional support	20.5%	17.3–24.4%	22.5%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	15.9%	13.9–18.1%	16.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	19.1%	16.1–22.5%	19%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	13.9%	12–16.1%	12.7%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	11.6%	9.4–14.2%	15.2%	better
Housing insecurity	8.8%	7.3–10.7%	12.2%	better
Utility shut-off threat	5.8%	4.9–6.9%	8.1%	better
No reliable transportation	6.5%	5.5–7.6%	8.4%	better
Receive SNAP	9.1%	7.3–11.2%	12.3%
Disability
Any disability	33.8%	29.1–38.9%	32%
Walking or climbing stairs	15.8%	13.3–18.6%	14.2%
Thinking or memory	14.4%	12.3–16.7%	14.8%
Hearing	9.3%	8.2–10.6%	7.3%
Vision	5%	4.3–5.8%	5.3%
Dressing or bathing	4%	3.4–4.7%	4%
Errands alone	8.3%	7.1–9.6%	8.2%

About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Bethlehem door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the North Carolina figure falls inside it, we don't call Bethlehem better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Bethlehem directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.