Clay County
North CarolinaFIPS 37043
Clay County has no hospital. Residents must travel to neighboring counties for hospital care.
Health Snapshot
| Metric | Clay County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Prevalence | 9.6% | 11.2% | ▼ |
| Adult Obesity | 32.7% | 35.7% | ▼ |
| Uninsured Rate | 13.3% | 12.5% | ▲ |
| PCPs per 10K | 4.4 | 5.2 | ▲ |
| Premature Death (YPLL) | 10,395.655 | — |
Source: County Health Rankings (2025)
Workforce Supply
Source: Area Health Resources File (AHRF) 2024-2025
CDC PLACES Health Indicators
| Indicator | Clay County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.7% | — | |
| Obesity | 36.0% | — | |
| Depression | 25.1% | — | |
| Frequent Mental Distress | 14.9% | — | |
| COPD | 10.5% | — | |
| Current Smoking | 14.7% | — | |
| Heart Disease | 10.1% | — | |
| Stroke | 4.9% | — | |
| High Blood Pressure | 44.6% | — | |
| Poor General Health | 20.8% | — | |
| Disability | 36.7% | — | |
| No Leisure Physical Activity | 25.9% | — | |
| Binge Drinking | 12.4% | — | |
| Uninsured | 8.7% | — |
Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024. Values are age-adjusted prevalence (%).
Clay County has no hospital. 23 of North Carolina's counties are hospital deserts.
See all hospital deserts in North CarolinaSocial Vulnerability Index
Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022. Score 0-1; higher = more vulnerable.
Health Professional Shortage Areas
Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce
Nearest Hospitals
Since Clay County has no hospital, residents travel to nearby facilities.
| Hospital | County | Beds | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erlanger Murphy Medical Center | Cherokee | 50 | 12.1 mi |
| Angel Medical Center | Macon | 25 | 21.4 mi |
| Swain County Hospital | Swain | 48 | 31.6 mi |
| Highlands Cashiers Hospital | Macon | 25 | 32.1 mi |
| Harris Regional Hospital | Jackson | 86 | 38.5 mi |
Related Pages
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Data from CMS Provider of Services, County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, AHRF 2024-2025, CDC PLACES 2023-2024, and UNC Sheps Center. Last updated: 2026-03-11.