Photo: Natalie Maynor · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Raleigh is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns
Raleigh differs from Mississippi on 8 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Raleigh. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Raleigh
Stroke, heart disease and COPD run high in Raleigh
1 in 16 adults have had a stroke (6.1%), vs 4.5% across Mississippi. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.7%), vs 7.5% across Mississippi. COPD is also above the state: 10.9%, vs 8.6% across Mississippi. In all, Raleigh runs above Mississippi on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Mississippi 17%), and stroke, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Raleigh, and more people treating it
51.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Mississippi 44.9%), but 83.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 79.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Mississippi figure falls outside Raleigh’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Raleigh’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Raleigh is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 55% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 3%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Raleigh’s median household income is $61,667; among the 9,319 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 12%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Raleigh compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 83.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Raleigh adults…
Raleigh runs above MS on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Raleigh is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Mississippi. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Raleigh as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Raleigh adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Mississippi.
Care in and near Raleigh
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Raleigh, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Raleigh; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Mississippi
Share of adults, with the Mississippi figure marked.
How Raleigh adults are doing
About the same as Mississippi on each measure.
4 in 10 Raleigh adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.8% of Raleigh adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.6% across Mississippi.
Raleigh and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | D | 42.7% | 18.5% | 18.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Raleigh adults live with a disability (Mississippi 38.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Raleigh
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Raleigh is better than Mississippi on 1 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Mississippi figure falls inside Raleigh’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Raleigh | MS | U.S. | vs MS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.2%24.4–32.1 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.7–19.3 | 14.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.7–19 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%34.4–51.1 | 40.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18.5%16.2–21.1 | 15.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 51.2%46.6–55.6 | 44.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.3%38.5–48.1 | 38.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.1%32.3–40.1 | 29.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.7 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.7%8.5–11 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.9%9.4–12.6 | 8.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 4.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.2%17.3–25.4 | 18.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.4%15.6–21.4 | 16.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 38.8%33.2–44.5 | 34% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11.4%9.2–13.9 | 13.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%31.7–46 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%9.6–14.5 | 11.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.1%80–86 | 81.5% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.8–89.4 | 86.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.7%81.4–85.8 | 79.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.9%55.4–66.3 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73%64.5–80.6 | 74% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.2%16.1–22.6 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.5%30.8–42.3 | 36.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%24.9–33.7 | 28.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.2%19.3–27 | 22.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.7%13.3–18.1 | 16.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 11.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%9.9–13.2 | 11.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.8%11.4–16.4 | 13.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.5%38.4–48.7 | 38.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 24.3%21.2–27.5 | 18.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16–21 | 17.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.6%7.5–9.6 | 7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.2%10.6–14 | 10.4% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 5.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Mississippi figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Raleigh
Is Raleigh a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Raleigh is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 12%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Raleigh?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.4% and 51.1%, against 40.4% across Mississippi and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Raleigh?
Magee General Hospital in Magee, 16.4 miles in a straight line from Raleigh’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Raleigh have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.6–14.5%), against 11.5% across Mississippi.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Raleigh more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Raleigh.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Mississippi figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.