Cherokee County Health Data
Cherokee County, North Carolina
CDC County Health RankingsHealth Score
35/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
74.3 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.5%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
74.3 yr
State avg 74.4 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.5%
State avg 12.5%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
41
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
167
per 100K population
National avg 350
Poor / Fair Health
20.1%
State avg 19.1%
National avg 19.6%
Healthcare Access
Primary Care Physicians
27.4
per 100K residentsCDC: 41.1 per 100K
Dentists
6.9
per 100K residents
Nurse Practitioners & PAs
10.3
per 100K residents
Provider counts from CMS NPPES (National Provider Identifier Registry). Data current as of 2026.
Chronic Disease & Behavioral Health
These prevalence estimates come from the CDC PLACES program (Population-Level Analysis and Community Estimates), which combines BRFSS survey data with statistical modeling to produce county-level rates. Estimates are age-adjusted to enable fair comparisons across counties with different age distributions. Use them to spot where Cherokee County differs most from state and national norms.
Most prevalent chronic conditions
| Measure | Cherokee | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity | 34.8% | 37.5% | 37.6% | 2.7 pts better than state |
| Diabetes | 10.1% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 1.1 pts better than state |
| High Blood Pressure | 33.3% | 35.3% | 33.5% | 2.0 pts better than state |
| Depression | 28.5% | 25.8% | 24.1% | 2.7 pts worse than state |
Health-risk behaviors
| Measure | Cherokee | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Cigarette Smoking | 16.6% | 16.0% | 16.3% | 0.6 pts worse than state |
| Binge Drinking | 17.3% | 15.9% | 17.8% | 1.4 pts worse than state |
| Physical Inactivity | 23.9% | 25.3% | 27.0% | 1.4 pts better than state |
Preventive-care uptake
| Measure | Cherokee | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Routine Checkup | 77.2% | 78.1% | 74.9% | 0.9 pts worse than state |
| Dental Visit (past year) | 58.7% | 59.7% | 57.3% | 1.0 pts worse than state |
| Mammography (women 50–74) | 75.1% | 77.3% | 73.3% | 2.2 pts worse than state |
Daily-life impact
| Measure | Cherokee | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent Mental Distress | 19.1% | 18.5% | 18.6% | 0.6 pts worse than state |
| Short Sleep Duration | 32.2% | 35.6% | 37.3% | 3.4 pts better than state |
These rates are part of the CDC PLACES survey. Compare Cherokee County nationally on short sleep duration.
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 release · age-adjusted prevalence (%). Confidence intervals are available on individual rankings pages.
Data Story
Cherokee County uninsured rate exceeds state and national averages
Health data brief for Cherokee County, North Carolina.
The uninsured rate in Cherokee County is 13.5%, which is higher than both the North Carolina state average of 12.5% and the national average of 10%. Health status reports indicate that 20.1% of adults describe their health as poor or fair, exceeding the national average of 17%. Primary care provider density is 41 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national median of 70, while mental health providers are available at a rate of 167 per 100,000, compared to the national median of 250. Life expectancy in the county is 74.3 years, nearly identical to the state average of 74.4 years but lower than the national average of 77. See the CDC County Health Rankings methodology.
Sources
- CDC County Health Rankings v2
- HHS NPPES
Get Care in Cherokee County, North Carolina
Direct contact information for hospitals and community health resources serving this county. Hospital quality ratings come from CMS Care Compare — the federal program that measures hospital performance on safety, patient experience, and outcomes.
Hospitals near you
Compare all on Medicare.gov →Erlanger Murphy Medical Center
EReHealth Insurance
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Health data sourced from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Data is informational only. Not medical or health advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.