Baldwin's Mill · Photo: Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Briar Chapel is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Briar Chapel differs from North Carolina on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 24 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Briar Chapel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Briar Chapel
Briar Chapel ranks #2 for health in North Carolina
Out of 289 North Carolina towns with a Health Grade, Briar Chapel is #2 on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 99% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Briar Chapel is an active town
Only 13.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Briar Chapel keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (77% vs 63.6%) and cholesterol checks (92.2% vs 87.5%). Checkups ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Briar Chapel
Briar Chapel runs below North Carolina on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.1% vs 7.1%), stroke (2.3% vs 3.6%) and diabetes (8.1% vs 12%). Conditions ↓
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 Briar Chapel’s likely range.
What’s behind Briar Chapel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Briar Chapel is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #2 of 289 in North Carolina. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than almost every town); the weakest is obesity, still better than 93%.
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). Briar Chapel’s median household income is $166,063; among the 1,839 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($125K–$208K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
5.7 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Briar Chapel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Briar Chapel adults…
Briar Chapel runs below NC on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Briar Chapel
No hospital or community health center in Briar Chapel 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 Briar Chapel; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Briar Chapel adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Briar Chapel does better than North Carolina.
1 in 4 Briar Chapel 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.
3.5% of Briar Chapel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Briar Chapel and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar Chapel | A+ | 26.2% | 8.1% | 7.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Briar Chapel adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Briar Chapel
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Briar Chapel is better than North Carolina on 24 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Briar Chapel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Briar Chapel | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.2%8.3–12.6 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.7%7.4–10.4 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.4–14.2 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.2%19.9–33.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.1%6.9–9.7 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%26.8–35.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.2%30.8–39.9 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.9%21.7–28.5 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.4–11 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4–5.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.2–5.1 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2–2.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 2.8%2.2–3.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.5%5.6–9.9 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 13.8%10.9–17.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%13.9–20.5 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.8%21.1–33.1 | 34.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%3.6–6.5 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.4%77.9–84.5 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77%74.1–80 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%90.6–93.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.2–79.1 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74%69.6–78.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 85.3%79.5–90.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19–26.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 25%20.5–29.7 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16%13.2–19.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.3%3.9–7.3 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.3%4.1–6.9 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.6%2.8–4.5 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.6%3–4.5 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.5%2.4–5.2 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.5%17.1–24.7 | 32% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.2%6.7–10.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.9%7.4–10.7 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.5%2.2–3 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.3%3.6–5.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.7–2.4 | 4% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Briar Chapel
Is Briar Chapel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Briar Chapel is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #2 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Briar Chapel?
CDC estimates 26.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.9% and 33.2%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Briar Chapel?
UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, 6.6 miles in a straight line from Briar Chapel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Briar Chapel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.6–6.5%), 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 Briar Chapel more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Briar Chapel.
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.