Polk County
North CarolinaFIPS 37149
Pop. 19,3281 HospitalSVI 0.36RUCC 8 (Rural)PC HPSADental HPSAMH HPSA
Health Snapshot
| Metric | Polk County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Prevalence | 8.3% | 11.2% | ▼ |
| Adult Obesity | 32.2% | 35.7% | ▼ |
| Uninsured Rate | 12.3% | 12.5% | ▼ |
| PCPs per 10K | 7.6 | 5.2 | ▼ |
| Premature Death (YPLL) | 10,656.535 | — |
Source: County Health Rankings (2025)
Workforce Supply
12
Primary Care Physicians
59.8 per 100k
27
NPs & PAs
134.6 per 100k
10
Dentists
35
Hospital Beds
1.7 per 1,000
$9,570.41
Medicare Per Capita
1226.0%
Readmission Rate
Source: Area Health Resources File (AHRF) 2024-2025
CDC PLACES Health Indicators
| Indicator | Polk County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 14.2% | — | |
| Obesity | 35.7% | — | |
| Depression | 24.5% | — | |
| Frequent Mental Distress | 15.1% | — | |
| COPD | 9.9% | — | |
| Current Smoking | 13.9% | — | |
| Heart Disease | 9.5% | — | |
| Stroke | 4.8% | — | |
| High Blood Pressure | 43.7% | — | |
| Poor General Health | 20.5% | — | |
| Disability | 36.3% | — | |
| No Leisure Physical Activity | 25.3% | — | |
| Binge Drinking | 12.8% | — | |
| Uninsured | 8.9% | — |
Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024. Values are age-adjusted prevalence (%).
Explore financial data, AHEAD readiness, and community benefit for Polk's 1 hospital.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall0.36
Socioeconomic Status0.31
Household Composition & Disability0.46
Minority Status & Language0.42
Housing Type & Transportation0.41
Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022. Score 0-1; higher = more vulnerable.
Health Professional Shortage Areas
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Primary Care
Designated Shortage Area
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Dental Health
Designated Shortage Area
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Mental Health
Designated Shortage Area
Source: HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce
Hospitals in Polk County
| Hospital | City | Beds | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advent Health Polk | Columbus | 35 | CAHRural |
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.