Health · Denton
Denton, NC health
Denton differs from North Carolina on 17 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (12.6% vs 7.1%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (23.6% vs 13.9%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for DentonTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D
Denton’s Health Grade: D
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Denton is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns.
DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressD-Mental distressCObesityC-DiabetesD-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 10%
Less healthyHealthier
North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 11%
Towns with similar incomes, $38K–$64K (5,613)Healthier than 22%
About what its income would suggest. Denton does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Denton could be anywhere from D− to C+.
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 Denton 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. Denton 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 Denton 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
38.9% have obesity
0 better4 close8 worse
Habits
32.1% get no exercise
0 better2 close2 worse
Care & screenings
78% had a checkup
0 better6 close1 worse
Mind & connection
32.9% feel lonely
0 better2 close3 worse
Everyday needs
21.5% face food insecurity
0 better2 close3 worse
Disability
41.6% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Denton adults…
41 of every 100 Denton adults have high blood pressure
North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36.2–44.8%
Bars show Denton; the black tick is North Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Denton, betterDenton, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults
32.1% Denton
NC 23.8%
NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
32.7% Denton
NC 34.2%
NC 34.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults
13.8% Denton
NC 14.7%
NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
21.9% Denton
NC 13.5%
NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Denton 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 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Denton 12.4% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection
How Denton adults are doing
1 in 3Denton adults feel lonely
32.9% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call
1 in 3Denton adults have been diagnosed with depression
29.8% · North Carolina 24.2% · worse
1 in 4Denton adults lack social or emotional support
22.5% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Denton adults are in frequent mental distress
21.1% · North Carolina 16.5% · worse
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 5
Denton adults worry about having enough food
21.5% · NC 15.2% · worse
1 in 7
Denton adults worry about keeping their housing
13.9% · NC 12.2% · about the same
1 in 10
Denton adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.3% · NC 8.1% · worse
1 in 9
Denton adults lack reliable transportation
11.3% · NC 8.4% · worse
21% of Denton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Disability
Living with a disability
41.6%
of Denton adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs20.3%
Thinking or memory21.2%
Hearing10.6%
Errands alone12.8%
Vision7.9%
Dressing or bathing6.1%
Black tick: North Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Denton
No hospital or community health center in Denton itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERLexington Memorial HospitalLexington · 15.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGaston Family Health ServicesLexington · 14.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
14.6 mi
Gaston Family Health Services
7 sites · nearest in Lexington
Kintegra Family Dentistry - LexingtonLexington · 14.6 mi
Kintegra Family Medicine - LexingtonLexington · 15.2 mi
Kintegra Mobile HealthLexington · 15.2 mi
Kintegra Family Dentistry - Randolph HdAsheboro · 16.3 mi
Kintegra Family Medicine - ThomasvilleThomasville · 16.4 mi
Kintegra Family Medicine - Asheboro White OakAsheboro · 17.4 mi
Kintegra Family Dentistry - AsheboroAsheboro · 17.7 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careDenton's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Davidson County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careDenton's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Davidson County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthDenton's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Davidson County · need score 16 of 25
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 Denton. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Denton
| Measure | Denton | Margin | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 40.6% | 36.2–44.8% | 36.8% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 38.1% | 33.7–42.3% | 35.6% | about the same |
| Obesity | 38.9% | 31.3–46.4% | 35.1% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 32.7% | 29.1–36.3% | 26.9% | worse |
| Depression | 29.8% | 25.5–34.1% | 24.2% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 23.6% | 19.4–28.2% | 13.9% | worse |
| Asthma | 12% | 10.4–13.6% | 10.8% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.9% | 8–9.9% | 7.9% | worse |
| Diabetes | 14.4% | 12.3–16.6% | 12% | worse |
| COPD | 12.6% | 10.5–15% | 7.1% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.4% | 8.2–10.8% | 6.6% | worse |
| Stroke | 5% | 4.3–5.7% | 3.6% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.9% | 17.9–25.9% | 13.5% | worse |
| Binge drink | 13.8% | 11.3–16.6% | 14.7% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 32.1% | 26.3–37.8% | 23.8% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7% | 26.6–39.1% | 34.2% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78% | 74.3–81.4% | 80% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 60.6% | 56.7–64.4% | 63.6% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 83% | 80.3–85.5% | 87.5% | worse |
| Colon screening | 64.3% | 58.8–69.4% | 65.7% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 76.3% | 68.5–82.8% | 78.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.2% | 75.4–80.7% | 76.7% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 12.4% | 9.4–15.7% | 10.4% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 32.9% | 27.7–38% | 32.5% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 22.5% | 18.8–26.3% | 22.5% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 21.1% | 18.3–23.8% | 16.5% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 26.6% | 22.2–30.9% | 19% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 17.5% | 15–20.2% | 12.7% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 21.5% | 17.4–25.8% | 15.2% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 13.9% | 11.3–16.6% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 10.3% | 8.7–12% | 8.1% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 11.3% | 9.5–13.2% | 8.4% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 21% | 16.8–25.5% | 12.3% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.6% | 35.9–47.1% | 32% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 20.3% | 17.1–23.6% | 14.2% | |
| Thinking or memory | 21.2% | 17.9–24.4% | 14.8% | |
| Hearing | 10.6% | 9.3–12% | 7.3% | |
| Vision | 7.9% | 6.8–9.1% | 5.3% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 6.1% | 5.2–7.1% | 4% | |
| Errands alone | 12.8% | 10.8–14.9% | 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 Denton 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 Denton better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Denton 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.