Health · Spindale

Spindale, NC health

Spindale differs from North Carolina on 20 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (23.9% vs 13.9%) and more adults facing a utility shut-off (13.6% vs 8.1%).

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

Spindale’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Spindale is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, and than 29% of towns with similar incomes.

DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressDObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 6%
Less healthyHealthier
North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 7%
Towns with similar incomes, $31K–$52K (2,570)Healthier than 29%

Better than its income would suggest. Spindale is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D.

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

44 of every 100 Spindale adults have high blood pressure
North Carolina: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 39.3–48.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Spindale, betterSpindale, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults 32.9% Spindale
NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.3% Spindale
NC 34.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.7% Spindale
NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 21.7% Spindale
NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
NC 80%
55%
Dentist visit
NC 64%
84%
Cholesterol check
NC 88%
58%
Colon screening
NC 66%
74%
Mammogram
NC 79%
77%
Taking BP meds
NC 77%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
Spindale 13.5% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Spindale adults are doing

1 in 3Spindale adults feel lonely
34.1% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Spindale adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.2% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Spindale adults lack social or emotional support
25.4% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Spindale adults are in frequent mental distress
20% · North Carolina 16.5% · worse
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 4
Spindale adults worry about having enough food
25.2% · NC 15.2% · worse
1 in 6
Spindale adults worry about keeping their housing
18% · NC 12.2% · worse
1 in 7
Spindale adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
13.6% · NC 8.1% · worse
1 in 8
Spindale adults lack reliable transportation
13.1% · NC 8.4% · worse

24.4% of Spindale adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

41.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs21%
Thinking or memory20.1%
Hearing9.2%
Errands alone12.7%
Vision8.6%
Dressing or bathing6.8%

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

Around Spindale

Spindale and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Spindale.

Rutherfordton: 39.2% Forest City: 42.7% Ruth: 42.3% Spindale: 42.7% Spindale Rutherfordton Forest City Rutherford Regional Medical Center · Rutherfordton · 2.4 mi · 2★ MedicareH Rutherford Health Center · Spindale · 0.6 mi+
39.2%42.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#3 of 4towns on this map, healthiest first
Rutherfordton39.2%
Spindale42.7%
Forest City42.7%

Care in and near Spindale

1 community health center in Spindale, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

Rutherford Regional Medical CenterRutherfordton · 2.4 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Advent Health PolkColumbus · 18.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
The Mcdowell HospitalMarion · 21.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Atrium Health ClevelandShelby · 22.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Rutherford Health CenterSpindale · 0.6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
Kintegra Family Medicine - Boiling SpringsShelby · 15.9 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
! Primary careSpindale's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rutherford County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careSpindale's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Rutherford County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthSpindale's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Western Highlands MHCA · 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 Spindale. 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 Spindale
MeasureSpindaleMarginNorth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure43.7%39.3–48.2%36.8%worse
High cholesterol37.2%33–41.8%35.6%about the same
Obesity42.7%34.6–51.4%35.1%about the same
Arthritis31.4%28–35%26.9%worse
Depression27.2%23.2–31.4%24.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)23.9%19.4–28.3%13.9%worse
Asthma12.2%10.6–13.7%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.8%7.1–8.7%7.9%about the same
Diabetes16.3%14.2–18.7%12%worse
COPD11.5%9.8–13.2%7.1%worse
Heart disease8.8%7.8–9.9%6.6%worse
Stroke5.3%4.7–5.9%3.6%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes21.7%18.3–25.1%13.5%worse
Binge drink13.7%11.1–16.6%14.7%about the same
Get no exercise32.9%27.8–38.4%23.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours35.3%28.4–42.1%34.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79%75.1–82.4%80%about the same
Dentist visit55.2%50.9–58.9%63.6%worse
Cholesterol check84.1%81.7–86.4%87.5%worse
Colon screening58.4%52.5–63.7%65.7%worse
Mammogram73.6%64.5–80.6%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds77.4%74.5–80.3%76.7%about the same
No health insurance13.5%11–16.5%10.4%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.1%28.8–39.5%32.5%about the same
Lack emotional support25.4%21.6–29.5%22.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress20%17.7–22.5%16.5%worse
Fair or poor health28%24.3–31.9%19%worse
Frequent physical distress17.1%15–19.4%12.7%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity25.2%21.4–29.3%15.2%worse
Housing insecurity18%15.5–20.9%12.2%worse
Utility shut-off threat13.6%11.8–15.6%8.1%worse
No reliable transportation13.1%11.4–14.9%8.4%worse
Receive SNAP24.4%20.8–28.5%12.3%
Disability
Any disability41.8%36.8–46.9%32%
Walking or climbing stairs21%18.3–23.9%14.2%
Thinking or memory20.1%17.4–22.8%14.8%
Hearing9.2%8–10.3%7.3%
Vision8.6%7.6–9.7%5.3%
Dressing or bathing6.8%6–7.7%4%
Errands alone12.7%11–14.5%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 Spindale 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 Spindale better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Spindale 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.

You’re browsing

Spindale

North Carolina · NC
View town boundary →
Township / city / CDP overlaps possible.
Loading boundary…

Spindale is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01