Health · Sparta

Sparta, TN health

Sparta differs from Tennessee on 14 of 33 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (79% vs 76.2%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (26.4% vs 14.6%).

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

Sparta’s Health Grade: D−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Sparta is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthD-Physical distressDMental distressC-ObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 4%
Less healthyHealthier
Tennessee towns we grade (303)Healthier than 13%
Towns with similar incomes, $38K–$63K (5,456)Healthier than 9%

About what its income would suggest. Sparta does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Sparta 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 Tennessee 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 Sparta 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. Sparta 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 Sparta compares with Tennessee

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 Sparta adults…

46 of every 100 Sparta adults have high blood pressure
Tennessee: 40 in 100 · worse · margin 41.2–49.8%

Bars show Sparta; the black tick is Tennessee. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Sparta, betterSparta, worseToo close to callTennessee
Get no exerciseshare of adults 35.1% Sparta
TN 26.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.7% Sparta
TN 38.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 12.6% Sparta
TN 14.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 22.7% Sparta
TN 17.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Sparta adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Tennessee.

79%
Yearly checkup
TN 78%
52%
Dentist visit
TN 58%
85%
Cholesterol check
TN 87%
59%
Colon screening
TN 63%
69%
Mammogram
TN 75%
79%
Taking BP meds
TN 76%
1 in 7
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sparta 13.8% · Tennessee 1 in 9 (11.6%)
Mind & connection

How Sparta adults are doing

1 in 3Sparta adults have been diagnosed with depression
31.1% · Tennessee 28.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Sparta adults are in frequent mental distress
21% · Tennessee 19.3% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

45.3%

of Sparta adults live with a disability (Tennessee 35.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs23.4%
Thinking or memory21.1%
Hearing11%
Errands alone13.1%
Vision7.9%
Dressing or bathing5.9%

Black tick: Tennessee. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Sparta

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Sparta, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERSaint Thomas Highlands HospitalSparta · 1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySaint Thomas River Park Hospital★★★★★ · 22.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careTennessee Department of HealthSparta · 0.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1 mi
Saint Thomas Highlands Hospital
Sparta · not rated
ERIn Sparta
16.4 mi
Cookeville Regional Medical Center
Cookeville · ★★★★★
ER
20 mi
Dekalb Community Hospital
Smithville · not rated
ER
22.2 mi
Saint Thomas River Park Hospital
Mcminnville · ★★★★★
ER
27.4 mi
Bledsoe County Primary Care Ctr.
Pikeville · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
! Primary careSparta's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Putnam/White Counties · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careSparta's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, White County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthSparta's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA 9 · need score 17 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 Sparta. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 33 measures for Sparta
MeasureSpartaMarginTennessee
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure45.5%41.2–49.8%39.5%worse
High cholesterol41.9%37.6–46.5%38.3%about the same
Obesity40.4%32.7–48.7%37.6%about the same
Arthritis37.6%34.1–41.3%30.6%worse
Depression31.1%27.2–35.4%28.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)26.4%22.2–31.1%14.6%worse
Asthma11.6%10.3–13%11%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10%9–11%8.2%worse
Diabetes17.1%15–19.4%13.6%worse
COPD13%11.4–14.8%8.6%worse
Heart disease9.9%8.9–11.1%7%worse
Stroke5.3%4.8–5.8%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22.7%19.8–26%17.3%worse
Binge drink12.6%10.3–15.2%14.6%about the same
Get no exercise35.1%30.1–40.3%26.6%worse
Sleep under 7 hours37.7%31.2–44.8%38.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.9%75.4–82.1%78.1%about the same
Dentist visit51.5%47.6–55.5%58.1%worse
Cholesterol check85.3%83.1–87.3%86.6%about the same
Colon screening58.5%53.1–63.9%63.2%about the same
Mammogram69.2%60.3–77%75.2%about the same
Taking BP meds79%76.4–81.3%76.2%better
No health insurance13.8%11.3–16.4%11.6%about the same
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress21%18.8–23.3%19.3%about the same
Fair or poor health29.7%26.2–33.5%22.4%worse
Frequent physical distress19.2%17–21.6%14.9%worse
Disability
Any disability45.3%40.5–50.2%35.8%
Walking or climbing stairs23.4%20.6–26.3%16.3%
Thinking or memory21.1%18.8–23.7%17.4%
Hearing11%9.8–12.3%7.6%
Vision7.9%7.1–8.9%5.5%
Dressing or bathing5.9%5.3–6.7%4.1%
Errands alone13.1%11.6–14.8%9.5%
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 Sparta door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Tennessee figure falls inside it, we don't call Sparta better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Sparta directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Tennessee 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.

The coffee’s on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Sparta, TNView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map
Loading boundary…

Sparta 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