Photo: Property Wizard · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Belhaven is healthier than 57%
Belhaven differs from North Carolina on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Belhaven. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Belhaven
Stroke, COPD and diabetes run high in Belhaven
1 in 14 adults have had a stroke (7.3%), about twice the North Carolina rate. 1 in 8 adults have COPD (13.3%), about twice the North Carolina rate. Diabetes is also above the state: 22.2%, vs 12% across North Carolina. In all, Belhaven runs above North Carolina on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Belhaven adults get no exercise
36.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Belhaven
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (28.4%), about twice the North Carolina rate. Utility shut-off threats (14.9% vs 8.1%) and no reliable transportation (13.9% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 28.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Belhaven is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Belhaven is healthier than 7%. Against the 882 towns with similar household incomes ($24K–$41K), it’s healthier than 57%. Health Grade ↓
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 North Carolina figure falls outside Belhaven’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Belhaven’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belhaven is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 46% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Belhaven’s median household income is $32,644; among the 882 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($24K–$41K), it’s healthier than 57%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Belhaven compares well: binge drinking, 10.1% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.6% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 84.3% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Belhaven adults…
Belhaven runs above NC on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
28.5% of Belhaven adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Belhaven
No hospital or community health center in Belhaven itself. These are the nearest.
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 Belhaven; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Belhaven adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Belhaven adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Belhaven 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.
Belhaven and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belhaven | D | 43.2% | 22.2% | 19.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Belhaven adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Belhaven
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Belhaven is better than North Carolina on 3 and worse on 20; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Belhaven’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Belhaven | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.4%27.1–35.8 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%15.9–21 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.2–19.6 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.2%35.1–51.9 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 22.2%19.3–25.3 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 54.1%49.8–58.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.5%37.9–47.6 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.1%35.2–43.3 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%10.9–13.9 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.3%11.4–15.5 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23%19.1–26.8 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.9%16.5–23.4 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 36.7%31–42.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.1%8.2–12.5 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%30.9–44.5 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.5%11.1–16.5 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.6%81.8–87.3 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51%46.7–54.8 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87–90.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.3%82–86.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.8%60.2–70.6 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%70.2–83.8 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.3–26.5 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34%28.7–39.3 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.4%21.4–29.6 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 28.4%23.9–32.9 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.4%16.4–22.6 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.9%12.8–17.3 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.9%11.9–16.1 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 28.5%23.8–33.3 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45%39.5–50.2 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 27.4%23.8–31.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16–21.2 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.8%9.4–12.3 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.8%11.9–15.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 8.6%7.4–9.9 | 4% | 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 North Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Belhaven
Is Belhaven a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belhaven is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns: D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Belhaven?
CDC estimates 43.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.1% and 51.9%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Belhaven?
Washington County Hosp in Plymouth, 23.0 miles in a straight line from Belhaven’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Belhaven have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.1–16.5%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
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 Belhaven 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 Belhaven.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina 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.