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B+Health Grade
Health in Foscoe · CDC PLACES 2025

Foscoe is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns

Foscoe differs from North Carolina on 9 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (10.3% vs 15.2%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (8.3% vs 12.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.2% vs 7.9%).

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Foscoe. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out about health in Foscoe

Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Getting care

Care in and near Foscoe

No hospital or community health center in Foscoe itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCharles A Cannon Jr Memorial HospitalLinville · 6.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMountain Home VA Medical Center★★★★★ · 21 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHigh Country Community HealthBoone · 7.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.8 mi
Charles A Cannon Jr Memorial Hospital
Linville · not rated
ERRural critical access
7.3 mi
High Country Community Health
6 sites · nearest in Boone
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7.6 mi
Watauga Medical Center
Boone · ★★★★★
ER
16.7 mi
Gaston Family Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Collettsville
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
20.5 mi
Johnson County Community Hospital
Mountain City · not rated
ERRural critical access
≈21 mi
Mountain Home VA Medical Center
Mountain Home · ★★★★★
ERVA
! Primary careFoscoe’s county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Watauga County · need score 18 of 25
! Dental careFoscoe’s county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Watauga County · need score 20 of 25
! Mental healthFoscoe’s county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Watauga County · need score 18 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 Foscoe; ≈ 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).

Health Grade

Foscoe’s Health Grade: B+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Foscoe is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, and than 98% of towns with similar incomes.

B+Self-rated health17.2% · NC 19%
B+Physical distress12.8% · NC 12.7%
A−Mental distress15.4% · NC 16.5%
BObesity34.6% · NC 35.1%
BDiabetes11.8% · NC 12%
B+Smoking12.8% smoke · NC 13.5%
A−Exercise21.3% · NC 23.8%
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 71%
Less healthyHealthier
North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 71%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $37K–$62K (5,107)Healthier than 98%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Foscoe 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 the 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): A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D and D− the bottom 15%. There’s no F.
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Foscoe 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. 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.
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Foscoe adults…

Foscoe runs above NC on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Foscoe adults have had cancer
North Carolina: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9.2–11.4%
Better than NCWorseAbout the sameNorth Carolina
Why age matters here

Foscoe is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Arthritis and cancer (not skin) rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Foscoe as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Foscoe28%
North Carolina17%
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 10
Foscoe adults worry about having enough food
10.3% · NC 15.2%
Better than NC
1 in 12
Foscoe adults worry about keeping their housing
8.3% · NC 12.2%
Better than NC
1 in 18
Foscoe adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.6% · NC 8.1%
Better than NC
1 in 16
Foscoe adults lack reliable transportation
6.1% · NC 8.4%
Better than NC

8.2% of Foscoe adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina

Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.

Get no exercise 21.3%NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.9%NC 34.2%
Binge drink 15.6%NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettes 12.8%NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Foscoe, betterFoscoe, worseAbout the sameNorth Carolina
Where Foscoe gets moving

1.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81% Yearly checkupNC 80%
67% Dentist visitNC 64%
90% Cholesterol checkNC 88%
70% Colon screeningNC 66%
77% MammogramNC 79%
79% Taking BP medsNC 77%
1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Foscoe 8% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Foscoe adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Foscoe does better than North Carolina.

1 in 3Foscoe adults feel lonely
29.6% · NC 32.5% · About the same as NC
1 in 5Foscoe adults lack social or emotional support
18.4% · NC 22.5% · Better than NC
1 in 4Foscoe adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.8% · NC 24.2% · About the same as NC
1 in 6Foscoe adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · NC 16.5% · About the same as NC
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Foscoe adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

30.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs13.9%
Thinking or memory13.4%
Hearing8.3%
Errands alone7.4%
Vision4.5%
Dressing or bathing3.6%
North Carolina
All 40 CDC measures for Foscoe
MeasureFoscoeLikely rangeNorth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure37.9%33.4–42.5%36.8%about the same
High cholesterol39.2%34.6–44.2%35.6%about the same
Obesity34.6%26.6–43.4%35.1%about the same
Arthritis30.8%27–34.6%26.9%worse
Depression25.8%21.9–30%24.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)12.4%10–15%13.9%about the same
Asthma10.5%9.2–12%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.2%9.2–11.4%7.9%worse
Diabetes11.8%10.1–13.9%12%about the same
COPD7.7%6.3–9.4%7.1%about the same
Heart disease7.4%6.4–8.5%6.6%about the same
Stroke3.6%3.2–4.1%3.6%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.8%10.2–15.7%13.5%about the same
Binge drink15.6%12.7–18.9%14.7%about the same
Get no exercise21.3%17.2–25.9%23.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours29.9%24–36.6%34.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.2%77.9–84.5%80%about the same
Dentist visit67.2%63.6–70.6%63.6%about the same
Cholesterol check89.5%87.8–91.2%87.5%better
Colon screening69.6%64.5–74.4%65.7%about the same
Mammogram77.1%69.2–83.8%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds79.2%76.2–82%76.7%about the same
No health insurance8%6.2–10.1%10.4%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely29.6%24.7–34.9%32.5%about the same
Lack emotional support18.4%15.3–21.9%22.5%better
Frequent mental distress15.4%13.4–17.7%16.5%about the same
Fair or poor health17.2%14.4–20.4%19%about the same
Frequent physical distress12.8%11–14.9%12.7%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity10.3%7.9–13%15.2%better
Housing insecurity8.3%6.6–10.1%12.2%better
Utility shut-off threat5.6%4.6–6.7%8.1%better
No reliable transportation6.1%5.1–7.3%8.4%better
Receive SNAP8.2%6.1–10.6%12.3%
Disability
Any disability30.8%26.1–35.8%32%
Walking or climbing stairs13.9%11.5–16.5%14.2%
Thinking or memory13.4%11.3–15.6%14.8%
Hearing8.3%7.2–9.5%7.3%
Vision4.5%3.9–5.2%5.3%
Dressing or bathing3.6%3.1–4.3%4%
Errands alone7.4%6.2–8.7%8.2%

How CDC estimates town health

Modeled estimates

CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Foscoe door to door.

Close calls stay gray

Every figure has a likely range. When the North Carolina figure falls inside it, we don’t call Foscoe better or worse.

CDC’s own town estimate

CDC publishes Foscoe directly, so these are its own figures.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Foscoe.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Live in Foscoe? Is a B+ for health right?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina 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.

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