Health · Rockwell
Rockwell, NC health
On most measures Rockwell looks like North Carolina as a whole. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (8.8% vs 7.1%) and more adults who have had cancer (9% vs 7.9%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for RockwellTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C+
Rockwell’s Health Grade: C+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Rockwell is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns.
C+Self-rated healthB-Physical distressCMental distressB-ObesityBDiabetesCSmokingB-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 43%
Less healthyHealthier
North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 43%
Towns with similar incomes, $52K–$87K (9,616)Healthier than 53%
About what its income would suggest. Rockwell does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Rockwell 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 Rockwell 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. Rockwell 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 Rockwell 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
35.9% have obesity
0 better10 close2 worse
Habits
26.2% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
78.9% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
31.7% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
14.2% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
36.1% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Rockwell adults…
36 of every 100 Rockwell adults have high blood pressure
North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.2–40.6%
Bars show Rockwell; the black tick is North Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Rockwell, betterRockwell, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults
26.2% Rockwell
NC 23.8%
NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
29.3% Rockwell
NC 34.2%
NC 34.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults
15.3% Rockwell
NC 14.7%
NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
16.6% Rockwell
NC 13.5%
NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Rockwell 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 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Rockwell 10.1% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection
How Rockwell adults are doing
1 in 3Rockwell adults feel lonely
31.7% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Rockwell adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.7% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Rockwell adults lack social or emotional support
20.7% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call
1 in 6Rockwell adults are in frequent mental distress
18.1% · 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 7
Rockwell adults worry about having enough food
14.2% · NC 15.2% · about the same
1 in 9
Rockwell adults worry about keeping their housing
11% · NC 12.2% · about the same
1 in 13
Rockwell adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.5% · NC 8.1% · about the same
1 in 13
Rockwell adults lack reliable transportation
8% · NC 8.4% · about the same
12.4% of Rockwell adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Disability
Living with a disability
36.1%
of Rockwell adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs15.8%
Thinking or memory16.7%
Hearing8.5%
Errands alone9.3%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing4.2%
Black tick: North Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Rockwell
No hospital or community health center in Rockwell itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERNovant Health Rowan Medical CenterSalisbury · 9.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyW.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center (Salsbury)★★★★★ · 9.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCabarrus Community Health CentersSalisbury · 8.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.4 mi
Cabarrus Community Health Centers
8 sites · nearest in Salisbury
Crchc Homeless Clinic at Rowan Helping MinistriesSalisbury · 8.4 mi
Salisbury Health CenterSalisbury · 8.8 mi
Northern Rowan Family MedicineSpencer · 9.7 mi
China Grove Family MedicineChina Grove · 9.9 mi
Crchc Homeless Clinic at Salvation Army ConcordConcord · 13.3 mi
Resource Center at Salvation ArmyConcord · 13.3 mi
Mcgill Family MedicineConcord · 14.1 mi
Crchc Patterson Farm Migrant ClinicChina Grove · 14.3 mi
9.8 mi
W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center (Salsbury)
Salisbury · ★★★★★
Nothing matches.
! Primary careRockwell's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rowan County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careRockwell's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rowan County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthRockwell's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rowan 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 Rockwell. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Rockwell
| Measure | Rockwell | Margin | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 36.3% | 32.2–40.6% | 36.8% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 37% | 32.7–41.5% | 35.6% | about the same |
| Obesity | 35.9% | 28.4–44.1% | 35.1% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2% | 26.8–33.8% | 26.9% | about the same |
| Depression | 26.7% | 22.9–31% | 24.2% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 16.1% | 13.1–19.4% | 13.9% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.1% | 9.8–12.6% | 10.8% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9% | 8.1–10% | 7.9% | worse |
| Diabetes | 11.6% | 10–13.5% | 12% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.8% | 7.3–10.5% | 7.1% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7.3% | 6.3–8.4% | 6.6% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.9% | 3.4–4.4% | 3.6% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6% | 13.4–19.9% | 13.5% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 15.3% | 12.6–18.6% | 14.7% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 26.2% | 21.5–31.4% | 23.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.3% | 23.5–35.9% | 34.2% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.9% | 75.3–82.4% | 80% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 63.3% | 59.6–67.1% | 63.6% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 86.4% | 83.9–88.5% | 87.5% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 67.1% | 61.9–72.2% | 65.7% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 76.5% | 68.6–83.3% | 78.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 76.3% | 73.2–79.3% | 76.7% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.1% | 7.8–13% | 10.4% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 31.7% | 26.5–36.9% | 32.5% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 20.7% | 17.2–24.5% | 22.5% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18.1% | 15.8–20.6% | 16.5% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 20.4% | 17–24.1% | 19% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.5% | 12.5–16.7% | 12.7% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 14.2% | 11.2–17.9% | 15.2% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 11% | 8.8–13.3% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.5% | 6.1–8.9% | 8.1% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8% | 6.7–9.6% | 8.4% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 12.4% | 9.5–15.7% | 12.3% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.1% | 31.2–41.4% | 32% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 15.8% | 13.3–18.6% | 14.2% | |
| Thinking or memory | 16.7% | 14.2–19.5% | 14.8% | |
| Hearing | 8.5% | 7.5–9.7% | 7.3% | |
| Vision | 5.5% | 4.7–6.4% | 5.3% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.2% | 3.6–5% | 4% | |
| Errands alone | 9.3% | 7.8–11% | 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 Rockwell 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 Rockwell better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Rockwell 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.