Carter County Health Data
Carter County, Tennessee
CDC County Health RankingsHealth Score
23/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
72.7 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.4%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
72.7 yr
State avg 72.4 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.4%
State avg 11.9%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
30
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
68
per 100K population
National avg 350
Poor / Fair Health
23.6%
State avg 22.4%
National avg 19.6%
Healthcare Access
Primary Care Physicians
17.7
per 100K residentsCDC: 30.3 per 100K
Dentists
5.3
per 100K residents
Nurse Practitioners & PAs
3.5
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 Carter County differs most from state and national norms.
Most prevalent chronic conditions
| Measure | Carter | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity | 38.0% | 39.9% | 37.6% | 1.9 pts better than state |
| Diabetes | 12.5% | 12.3% | 11.2% | near state average |
| High Blood Pressure | 38.1% | 37.1% | 33.5% | 1.0 pts worse than state |
| Depression | 33.3% | 30.8% | 24.1% | 2.5 pts worse than state |
Health-risk behaviors
| Measure | Carter | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Cigarette Smoking | 21.2% | 20.7% | 16.3% | near state average |
| Binge Drinking | 15.5% | 15.6% | 17.8% | near state average |
| Physical Inactivity | 29.4% | 28.4% | 27.0% | 1.0 pts worse than state |
Preventive-care uptake
| Measure | Carter | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Routine Checkup | 75.4% | 75.4% | 74.9% | near state average |
| Dental Visit (past year) | 52.3% | 54.4% | 57.3% | 2.1 pts worse than state |
| Mammography (women 50–74) | 69.4% | 71.9% | 73.3% | 2.5 pts worse than state |
Daily-life impact
| Measure | Carter | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent Mental Distress | 22.3% | 21.7% | 18.6% | 0.6 pts worse than state |
| Short Sleep Duration | 44.2% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 4.2 pts worse than state |
These rates are part of the CDC PLACES survey. Compare Carter County nationally on short sleep duration.
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 release · age-adjusted prevalence (%). Confidence intervals are available on individual rankings pages.
Data Story
Carter County reports 30 primary care providers per 100,000 residents
Health data brief for Carter County, Tennessee.
Carter County currently has 30 primary care providers for every 100,000 residents. This is significantly lower than the national median of 70 per 100,000. The ratio for mental health providers is 68 per 100,000 residents, which is also below the national median of 250. Residents in Carter County have a life expectancy of 72.7 years. This is slightly higher than the Tennessee state average of 72.4 years but remains lower than the national average of 77 years. The uninsured rate in the county is 13.4%, which is higher than both the state average of 11.9% and the national average of 10%. Furthermore, 23.6% of adults in the county report poor or fair health, which is higher than the 17% national benchmark. Explore state-level data on Tennessee health outcomes.
Sources
- CDC County Health Rankings v2
- HHS NPPES
Get Care in Carter County, Tennessee
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 →Sycamore Shoals Hospital
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.