Carpenter Historic District · Photo: KimWrenn · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Cary as a whole is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Cary beats North Carolina on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cary. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cary
COPD and stroke are less common in Cary
Cary runs below North Carolina on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.9% vs 7.1%), stroke (2.3% vs 3.6%) and heart disease (4.3% vs 6.6%). Conditions ↓
Cary is an active town
Only 15.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across North Carolina. The town has 46 miles of trails across 68 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Cary has a five-star hospital
Wakemed, Cary Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Few Cary adults smoke
7.7% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 13.5% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
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 Cary’s likely range.
What’s behind Cary’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cary is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #4 of 289 in North Carolina. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 94%.
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). Cary’s median household income is $134,905; among the 4,047 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$169K), it’s healthier than 98%, about where its income would put it.
At 183,582 residents, Cary is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 Cary adults…
Cary runs below NC on 9 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.
46 miles of trails across 68 parks and preserves
Care in and near Cary
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Cary, 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 Cary; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Cary adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Cary adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Cary does better than North Carolina.
3 in 10 Cary 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.
5% of Cary adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Cary and the towns around it
Cary’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary | A+ | 25.3% | 8.6% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Morrisville | A+ | 21.7% | 6.9% | 6.5% | CDC place |
| Raleigh | A | 30.9% | 9.1% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Apex | A+ | 26.6% | 7.5% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| Durham | A− | 36.8% | 10.2% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Holly Springs | A+ | 27.8% | 7.3% | 8.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cary adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cary
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cary is better than North Carolina on 23 and worse on 0; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Cary’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cary | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.5%10.1–13 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.4–14.4 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.3%21.5–29.4 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.1%27.1–33.2 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%31.6–38.4 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.6%18.4–23 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.2–10.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.3%6.7–8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.3%5.2–7.7 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.7%6.6–8.8 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.7%13.4–18.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.1–16.7 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.7%26.1–33.7 | 34.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.8–83.4 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.5%70.9–76 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.5%89.2–91.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%71.3–77.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.2%63.3–71.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80%74.2–85 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.5%18.9–24.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%26–33.6 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.1%16.6–22 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.6%6.6–8.8 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5%4.3–5.8 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.8%18.3–23.5 | 32% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.8%8.7–11 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.8–3.3 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.2%2–2.4 | 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 Cary
Is Cary a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cary is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #4 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cary?
CDC estimates 25.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.5% and 29.4%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cary?
Wakemed, Cary Hospital in Cary, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Cary’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cary have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–7.1%), 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 Cary 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 Cary.
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.