Rhea County Health Data
Rhea County, Tennessee
CDC County Health RankingsHealth Score
18/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
71.4 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.2%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
71.4 yr
State avg 72.4 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
13.2%
State avg 11.9%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
36
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
35
per 100K population
National avg 350
Poor / Fair Health
24.8%
State avg 22.4%
National avg 19.6%
Healthcare Access
Primary Care Physicians
6.0
per 100K residentsCDC: 36.2 per 100K
Dentists
6.0
per 100K residents
Nurse Practitioners & PAs
3.0
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 Rhea County differs most from state and national norms.
Most prevalent chronic conditions
| Measure | Rhea | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity | 42.4% | 39.9% | 37.6% | 2.5 pts worse than state |
| Diabetes | 12.8% | 12.3% | 11.2% | near state average |
| High Blood Pressure | 37.9% | 37.1% | 33.5% | 0.8 pts worse than state |
| Depression | 31.5% | 30.8% | 24.1% | 0.7 pts worse than state |
Health-risk behaviors
| Measure | Rhea | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Cigarette Smoking | 22.0% | 20.7% | 16.3% | 1.3 pts worse than state |
| Binge Drinking | 15.3% | 15.6% | 17.8% | near state average |
| Physical Inactivity | 29.8% | 28.4% | 27.0% | 1.4 pts worse than state |
Preventive-care uptake
| Measure | Rhea | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Routine Checkup | 75.5% | 75.4% | 74.9% | near state average |
| Dental Visit (past year) | 51.5% | 54.4% | 57.3% | 2.9 pts worse than state |
| Mammography (women 50–74) | 75.7% | 71.9% | 73.3% | 3.8 pts better than state |
Daily-life impact
| Measure | Rhea | State avg | National avg | Vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent Mental Distress | 22.2% | 21.7% | 18.6% | near state average |
| Short Sleep Duration | 41.4% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 1.4 pts worse than state |
These rates are part of the CDC PLACES survey. Compare Rhea County nationally on mammography (women 50–74).
Source: CDC PLACES, 2023 release · age-adjusted prevalence (%). Confidence intervals are available on individual rankings pages.
Data Story
High Rates of Poor Health Reported in Rhea County
Health data brief for Rhea County, Tennessee.
Data show that 24.8% of adults in Rhea County report poor or fair health, a rate that is notably higher than the national average of 17%. The life expectancy for the county is 71.4 years, which is below the Tennessee state average of 72.4 years and the national average of 77 years. Healthcare access metrics indicate 36 primary care providers per 100,000 residents and 35 mental health providers per 100,000, both of which are significantly lower than the national medians of 70 and 250, respectively. The uninsured rate in Rhea County is 13.2%, which exceeds the state average of 11.9% and the national rate of 10%. These findings are based on the latest available federal health data reports. Explore state-level data.
Sources
- CDC County Health Rankings v2
- HHS NPPES
Get Care in Rhea 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 →Rhea 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.