Health · Dobson

Dobson, NC health

On most measures Dobson looks like North Carolina as a whole. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (11.3% vs 13.9%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (13.8% vs 10.4%).

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

C+Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

C⁺

Dobson’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Dobson is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, and than 89% of towns with similar incomes.

CSelf-rated healthB-Physical distressB-Mental distressC+ObesityBDiabetesC+SmokingC+Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 42%

Less healthyHealthier

North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 43%

Towns with similar incomes, $33K–$55K (3,345)Healthier than 89%

Better than its income would suggest. Dobson is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C+.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Dobson could be anywhere from D 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 Dobson 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. Dobson 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 Dobson 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 Dobson adults…

37 of every 100 Dobson adults have high blood pressure

North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.4–40.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Dobson, betterDobson, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina

Get no exerciseshare of adults 27.1% Dobson
NC 23.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.8% Dobson
NC 34.2%

Binge drinkshare of adults 14.8% Dobson
NC 14.7%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.5% Dobson
NC 13.5%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Dobson 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 7

working-age adults has no health insurance

Dobson 13.8% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)

Mind & connection

How Dobson adults are doing

1 in 3Dobson adults feel lonely

33.6% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call

1 in 4Dobson adults have been diagnosed with depression

25.7% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call

1 in 4Dobson adults lack social or emotional support

23.5% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call

1 in 6Dobson adults are in frequent mental distress

17.3% · 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 6

Dobson adults worry about having enough food

15.5% · NC 15.2% · about the same

1 in 9

Dobson adults worry about keeping their housing

11.7% · NC 12.2% · about the same

1 in 14

Dobson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

7% · NC 8.1% · about the same

1 in 12

Dobson adults lack reliable transportation

8.2% · NC 8.4% · about the same

11.3% of Dobson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

36.8%

of Dobson adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.1%

Thinking or memory16.7%

Hearing8.7%

Errands alone9%

Vision5.6%

Dressing or bathing4.1%

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

Around Dobson

Dobson and the towns around it

Care nearby

Northern Regional HospitalMount Airy · 9.1 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Hugh Chatham Memorial HospitalElkin · 11 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Twin County Regional HospitalGalax · 22.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Alleghany Memorial HospitalSparta · 23.2 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

High Country Community Health at Surry Medical MinistriesMount Airy · 9 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

High Country Community Health Surry CountyElkin · 10.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

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

! Dental careDobson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Surry County · need score 18 of 25

! Mental healthDobson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Surry County · need score 17 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 Dobson. 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 Dobson

Measure	Dobson	Margin	North Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	36.7%	32.4–40.8%	36.8%	about the same
High cholesterol	38%	33.8–42.4%	35.6%	about the same
Obesity	38.1%	30.4–45.8%	35.1%	about the same
Arthritis	28.7%	25.3–32%	26.9%	about the same
Depression	25.7%	21.9–29.7%	24.2%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	11.3%	9–13.7%	13.9%	better
Asthma	10.8%	9.5–12.2%	10.8%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	8.9%	8–9.9%	7.9%	worse
Diabetes	11.8%	10.1–13.7%	12%	about the same
COPD	8.4%	6.9–10.1%	7.1%	about the same
Heart disease	7.4%	6.4–8.4%	6.6%	about the same
Stroke	3.8%	3.3–4.4%	3.6%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	15.5%	12.8–18.5%	13.5%	about the same
Binge drink	14.8%	12.2–17.8%	14.7%	about the same
Get no exercise	27.1%	22.1–32.4%	23.8%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	31.8%	25.2–38.3%	34.2%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	78.5%	74.9–82%	80%	about the same
Dentist visit	61.6%	57.8–65%	63.6%	about the same
Cholesterol check	86%	83.6–88.1%	87.5%	about the same
Colon screening	65.8%	60.2–70.7%	65.7%	about the same
Mammogram	81%	73.9–86.6%	78.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	76.7%	73.7–79.4%	76.7%	about the same
No health insurance	13.8%	11–17.1%	10.4%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	33.6%	28.4–39.1%	32.5%	about the same
Lack emotional support	23.5%	19.8–27.6%	22.5%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	17.3%	15.2–19.6%	16.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	21.6%	18.2–25.3%	19%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	14.2%	12.2–16.4%	12.7%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	15.5%	12.6–18.6%	15.2%	about the same
Housing insecurity	11.7%	9.8–13.9%	12.2%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	7%	5.9–8.2%	8.1%	about the same
No reliable transportation	8.2%	6.9–9.5%	8.4%	about the same
Receive SNAP	11.3%	9–13.8%	12.3%
Disability
Any disability	36.8%	31.8–42.2%	32%
Walking or climbing stairs	16.1%	13.5–18.8%	14.2%
Thinking or memory	16.7%	14.4–19.3%	14.8%
Hearing	8.7%	7.5–10%	7.3%
Vision	5.6%	4.9–6.5%	5.3%
Dressing or bathing	4.1%	3.5–4.9%	4%
Errands alone	9%	7.7–10.5%	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 Dobson 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 Dobson better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Dobson 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.