Health · Marion

Marion, NC health

Marion differs from North Carolina on 14 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more uninsured adults (14.6% vs 10.4%) and more older adults who have lost all their teeth (18.9% vs 13.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Marion
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Marion’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Marion is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns, and than 60% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthC+Physical distressCMental distressC+ObesityC+DiabetesC-SmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 28%
Less healthyHealthier
North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 31%
Towns with similar incomes, $38K–$64K (5,763)Healthier than 60%

Better than its income would suggest. Marion 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, Marion could be anywhere from D to B.
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 Marion 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. Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion adults…

39 of every 100 Marion adults have high blood pressure
North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 34.3–43.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Marion, betterMarion, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.3% Marion
NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 36.8% Marion
NC 34.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.2% Marion
NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 18.1% Marion
NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%
Yearly checkup
NC 80%
57%
Dentist visit
NC 64%
84%
Cholesterol check
NC 88%
61%
Colon screening
NC 66%
72%
Mammogram
NC 79%
75%
Taking BP meds
NC 77%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
Marion 14.6% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Marion adults are doing

1 in 3Marion adults feel lonely
33.9% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Marion adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.1% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Marion adults lack social or emotional support
24.1% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Marion adults are in frequent mental distress
18.3% · 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 5
Marion adults worry about having enough food
19.9% · NC 15.2% · worse
1 in 7
Marion adults worry about keeping their housing
14.9% · NC 12.2% · worse
1 in 10
Marion adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.1% · NC 8.1% · worse
1 in 10
Marion adults lack reliable transportation
10.5% · NC 8.4% · worse

17.2% of Marion adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

37.4%

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

Walking or climbing stairs17.1%
Thinking or memory18.1%
Hearing8.9%
Errands alone10.4%
Vision6.9%
Dressing or bathing5.1%

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

Around Marion

Marion and the towns around it

Care in and near Marion

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Marion, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

The Mcdowell HospitalMarion · 1.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Blue Ridge Regional HospitalSpruce Pine · 16.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Blue Ridge Healthcare HospitalsMorganton · 19.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Rutherford Regional Medical CenterRutherfordton · 21.7 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Mcdowell County Health CenterMarion · 1.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
Celo Health CenterBurnsville · 14.8 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
! Primary careMarion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, McDowell County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careMarion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, McDowell County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthMarion's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, McDowell 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 Marion. 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 Marion
MeasureMarionMarginNorth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure38.6%34.3–43.2%36.8%about the same
High cholesterol37%32.5–41.7%35.6%about the same
Obesity37.1%28.9–46.2%35.1%about the same
Arthritis28.6%25.4–32.1%26.9%about the same
Depression25.1%21.4–29.4%24.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)18.9%15.6–22.7%13.9%worse
Asthma10.8%9.5–12.3%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8%7.2–8.8%7.9%about the same
Diabetes13%11.3–15%12%about the same
COPD9.3%8.1–10.6%7.1%worse
Heart disease7.7%6.9–8.7%6.6%worse
Stroke4.2%3.8–4.6%3.6%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes18.1%15.5–20.9%13.5%worse
Binge drink15.2%12.4–18.4%14.7%about the same
Get no exercise28.3%23.7–33.5%23.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours36.8%30.1–43.9%34.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.3%74.7–81.9%80%about the same
Dentist visit56.8%52.9–60.7%63.6%worse
Cholesterol check84.4%82.4–86.4%87.5%worse
Colon screening61.4%56.1–66.3%65.7%about the same
Mammogram72.2%63.8–79.6%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds75.1%72.3–78%76.7%about the same
No health insurance14.6%12.5–17.1%10.4%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.9%28.6–39.3%32.5%about the same
Lack emotional support24.1%20.5–27.9%22.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.3%16.1–20.6%16.5%about the same
Fair or poor health23.6%20.5–26.9%19%worse
Frequent physical distress15%13.2–17%12.7%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity19.9%17.2–23%15.2%worse
Housing insecurity14.9%12.9–17.1%12.2%worse
Utility shut-off threat10.1%8.8–11.5%8.1%worse
No reliable transportation10.5%9.3–11.9%8.4%worse
Receive SNAP17.2%14.8–19.7%12.3%
Disability
Any disability37.4%32.7–42.4%32%
Walking or climbing stairs17.1%14.9–19.4%14.2%
Thinking or memory18.1%15.9–20.4%14.8%
Hearing8.9%7.8–10%7.3%
Vision6.9%6.2–7.6%5.3%
Dressing or bathing5.1%4.6–5.6%4%
Errands alone10.4%9.2–11.7%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 Marion 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 Marion better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Marion 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.

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