Health · Jefferson

Jefferson, NC health

Jefferson differs from North Carolina on 11 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (6.5% vs 8.1%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (9.8% vs 12.2%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (19.6% vs 13.9%).

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

Report card

How Jefferson 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 Jefferson adults…

41 of every 100 Jefferson adults have high blood pressure

North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36.1–44.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Jefferson, betterJefferson, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina

Get no exerciseshare of adults 26.3% Jefferson
NC 23.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.2% Jefferson
NC 34.2%

Binge drinkshare of adults 14.3% Jefferson
NC 14.7%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.8% Jefferson
NC 13.5%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Jefferson 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 9

working-age adults has no health insurance

Jefferson 10.8% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)

Mind & connection

How Jefferson adults are doing

1 in 3Jefferson adults feel lonely

31.9% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call

1 in 4Jefferson adults have been diagnosed with depression

25.3% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call

1 in 5Jefferson adults lack social or emotional support

21% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call

1 in 6Jefferson adults are in frequent mental distress

16.7% · 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 8

Jefferson adults worry about having enough food

12.9% · NC 15.2% · about the same

1 in 10

Jefferson adults worry about keeping their housing

9.8% · NC 12.2% · better

1 in 15

Jefferson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

6.5% · NC 8.1% · better

1 in 14

Jefferson adults lack reliable transportation

7.3% · NC 8.4% · about the same

10.4% of Jefferson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

37.2%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.6%

Thinking or memory15.7%

Hearing10.6%

Errands alone9.5%

Vision5.8%

Dressing or bathing4.4%

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

Around Jefferson

Jefferson and the towns around it

Care nearby

Ashe Memorial HospitalJefferson · 0.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Johnson County Community HospitalMountain City · 18.4 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Watauga Medical CenterBoone · 18.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Alleghany Memorial HospitalSparta · 20.6 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Appalachian District Health Department Dental CenterJefferson · 0.2 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Apphealthcare -Ashe Health CenterJefferson · 0.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careJefferson's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Ashe County · need score 17 of 25

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

! Mental healthJefferson's county is a federal shortage area.Ashe County · need score 16 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 Jefferson. 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 Jefferson

Measure	Jefferson	Margin	North Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	40.5%	36.1–44.9%	36.8%	about the same
High cholesterol	39.4%	34.8–44.1%	35.6%	about the same
Obesity	35.2%	27.1–43.8%	35.1%	about the same
Arthritis	32.9%	29.4–36.7%	26.9%	worse
Depression	25.3%	21.6–29.5%	24.2%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	19.6%	15.8–23.6%	13.9%	worse
Asthma	10.6%	9.4–12%	10.8%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	10.8%	9.7–12.1%	7.9%	worse
Diabetes	12.7%	10.9–14.7%	12%	about the same
COPD	9.3%	8–10.9%	7.1%	worse
Heart disease	8.8%	7.7–10%	6.6%	worse
Stroke	4.5%	4–5.1%	3.6%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	14.8%	12.4–17.4%	13.5%	about the same
Binge drink	14.3%	11.6–17.2%	14.7%	about the same
Get no exercise	26.3%	21.7–31.5%	23.8%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	33.2%	26.8–40.2%	34.2%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	80.2%	76.7–83.4%	80%	about the same
Dentist visit	59.5%	55.6–63.4%	63.6%	worse
Cholesterol check	87.8%	85.9–89.6%	87.5%	about the same
Colon screening	68%	63.1–72.7%	65.7%	about the same
Mammogram	76.2%	68.3–83%	78.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	79.6%	76.8–82%	76.7%	better
No health insurance	10.8%	8.8–13.1%	10.4%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	31.9%	26.6–37.4%	32.5%	about the same
Lack emotional support	21%	17.6–24.8%	22.5%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	16.7%	14.7–19%	16.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	21%	18.1–24.3%	19%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	14.7%	12.8–16.8%	12.7%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	12.9%	10.7–15.9%	15.2%	about the same
Housing insecurity	9.8%	8.3–11.7%	12.2%	better
Utility shut-off threat	6.5%	5.5–7.7%	8.1%	better
No reliable transportation	7.3%	6.3–8.6%	8.4%	about the same
Receive SNAP	10.4%	8.4–12.8%	12.3%
Disability
Any disability	37.2%	32.5–42.4%	32%
Walking or climbing stairs	17.6%	15–20.3%	14.2%
Thinking or memory	15.7%	13.7–17.9%	14.8%
Hearing	10.6%	9.3–11.9%	7.3%
Vision	5.8%	5.1–6.7%	5.3%
Dressing or bathing	4.4%	3.8–5.1%	4%
Errands alone	9.5%	8.2–11%	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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Jefferson 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.