Mills River, North Carolina is a small, rural town with a population of approximately 6,000 people. Despite its size and population, Mills River has access to quality health care through local hospitals and medical facilities. The area is served by Park Ridge Health, an acute-care hospital situated in Hendersonville that provides comprehensive medical services such as preventative care, surgery, childbirth services, and emergency care. In addition to Park Ridge Health, Mills River residents also have access to Mission My Care Plus Asheville Specialty Hospital which specializes in physical therapy and rehabilitation services. Local physicians offer family medicine and urgent care services within the community. Effective public health measures are employed throughout the Mills River area to ensure ongoing health safety for all citizens.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 195 physicians per 100,000 population in Mills River. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Mills River area is 113.5 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
113.5 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Mills River area is 53 (100=best). The US average is 55.
53 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Mills River area is 88 (100=best). The US average is 87.
88 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Mills River commutes 21.7 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Mills River area is 78 (100=best). The US average is 58.
78 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.