Photo: Public domain, City of Fayetteville · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fayetteville is healthier than 63%
Fayetteville differs from North Carolina on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fayetteville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fayetteville
Fayetteville is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fayetteville is healthier than 38%. Against the 8,492 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 63%. Health Grade ↓
More Fayetteville adults lack emotional support
1 in 4 adults lack social or emotional support (26.5%), vs 22.5% across North Carolina. Loneliness is above the state too: 37.4%, vs 32.5% across North Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Fayetteville
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (22%), vs 15.2% across North Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (12.4% vs 8.1%) and no reliable transportation (12% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 19% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Fayetteville sleeps less
42.4% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 34.2% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Fayetteville has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers are inside Fayetteville. Getting care ↓
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 Fayetteville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Fayetteville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fayetteville is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #190 of 289 in North Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 68% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Fayetteville’s median household income is $58,407; among the 8,492 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 63%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Fayetteville compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 209,120 residents, Fayetteville is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
How Fayetteville adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Fayetteville runs above North Carolina.
4 in 10 Fayetteville 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.
19% of Fayetteville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
145 miles of trails across 55 parks and preserves
Care in and near Fayetteville
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville; ≈ 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 Fayetteville adults…
Fayetteville runs below NC on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Fayetteville residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fayetteville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Fayetteville and the towns around it
Fayetteville’s Health Grade ranks 6th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | C+ | 40.4% | 12.6% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Spring Lake | C+ | 39.9% | 10.4% | 15% | CDC place |
| Rockfish | B+ | 34.8% | 10% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Hope Mills | C+ | 40.1% | 11.9% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Vander | C+ | 39% | 13% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Eastover | C+ | 38% | 14.1% | 14.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fayetteville adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fayetteville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fayetteville is better than North Carolina on 2 and worse on 12; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Fayetteville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fayetteville | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.4%19–23.7 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.6–14.5 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.8–20.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.4%34.5–46.4 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%11.1–14.2 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%34.3–41.4 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.1%28.6–35.7 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.9%22.3–27.6 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.1–6.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%15–21.7 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%13.1–16.8 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.9%22.2–29.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.9–18.3 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.4%36.7–48.2 | 34.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%76.1–82.3 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%55.2–62.5 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.3%82.5–86.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74%71.6–76.3 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.1–71.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%71.5–84.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.6–28.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.4%32.7–42.3 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.5%23.1–30.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22%19.5–24.6 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.4%15.3–19.5 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.4%10.9–13.9 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12%10.8–13.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19%16.8–21.3 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.2%32.3–40.1 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.2%13.6–16.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.5–19.1 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.5–6.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%6.1–7.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.8–10.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.3–5 | 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 Fayetteville
Is Fayetteville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fayetteville is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #190 of 289 in North Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fayetteville?
CDC estimates 40.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.5% and 46.4%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fayetteville?
Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, 26.4 miles in a straight line from Fayetteville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fayetteville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.4–13.5%), 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 Fayetteville more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fayetteville.
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.