Photo: Precisionviews · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Charlotte as a whole is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Charlotte differs from North Carolina on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Charlotte. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Charlotte
Charlotte has four hospitals within its borders
4 hospitals and 5 community health centers are inside Charlotte. Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and COPD are less common in Charlotte
Charlotte runs below North Carolina on seven chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.6% vs 6.6%), COPD (5% vs 7.1%) and cancer (5.7% vs 7.9%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). 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 Charlotte’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Charlotte’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charlotte is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #69 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 91% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 61%.
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). Charlotte’s median household income is $82,068; among the 10,616 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
At 964,784 residents, Charlotte is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Charlotte
4 hospitals and 5 community health centers in Charlotte, 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 Charlotte; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Charlotte adults…
Charlotte runs below NC on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Charlotte residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
139 miles of trails across 180 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Charlotte adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Charlotte adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Charlotte 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.
13.9% of Charlotte adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Charlotte and the towns around it
Charlotte’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | A− | 30.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Matthews | A+ | 25.5% | 9.4% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Pineville | B+ | 30.4% | 10.8% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Mint Hill | A− | 28.6% | 11.3% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Marvin | A+ | 28.8% | 8.6% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Weddington | A+ | 29.8% | 9.2% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Huntersville | A+ | 26.6% | 8% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Harrisburg | A | 30.7% | 9.8% | 10.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Charlotte adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Charlotte
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Charlotte is better than North Carolina on 10 and worse on 4; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Charlotte’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Charlotte | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%14.9–19 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.6–12.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.3 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.1%25–35.1 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.7–11.5 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.3%26.9–33.6 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.8%27.2–34.3 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.9%18.4–23.4 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–12 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%4.5–5.6 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.9–14.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%9.8–13 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.9%18.6–25.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.7–18.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39%34.2–43.8 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%10–12.8 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%74.4–81.1 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.9%58.5–65.1 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.8–88.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.5%69.2–75.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%59.3–68.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%73–85.2 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.6–26.2 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.4%29–38.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.3–28.1 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.5%15.5–19.7 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.5%12.8–16.4 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.7%8.5–11 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.9%12.3–15.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%24.6–31.5 | 32% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.3%9.9–12.7 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.2%12.7–15.8 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 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 Charlotte
Is Charlotte a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charlotte is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #69 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Charlotte?
CDC estimates 30.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25% and 35.1%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Charlotte?
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Charlotte’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Charlotte have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10–12.8%), 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 Charlotte more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Charlotte.
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.