Bracebridge Hall · Photo: Marie Sharpe Ham, Debra A. Blake, C. Edward Morris · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Half Moon is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Half Moon beats North Carolina on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Half Moon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Half Moon
Half Moon is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Half Moon is healthier than 71%. Against the 10,450 towns with similar household incomes ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 89%. Health Grade ↓
Half Moon is short on primary care and mental health care
Half Moon’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and cancer are less common in Half Moon
Half Moon runs below North Carolina on five chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (5.1% vs 6.6%), cancer (6.4% vs 7.9%) and COPD (5.9% vs 7.1%). A young population is part of it: only 13% 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 Half Moon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Half Moon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Half Moon is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, #105 of 289 in North Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 84% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Half Moon’s median household income is $68,946; among the 10,450 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Half Moon
No hospital or community health center in Half Moon 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 Half Moon; ≈ 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 Half Moon adults…
Half Moon runs below NC on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Half Moon 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.
0.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Half Moon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Half Moon adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Half Moon 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.
10.9% of Half Moon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Half Moon and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half Moon | B+ | 34.5% | 10.2% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Jacksonville | A− | 30.8% | 7% | 11.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Half Moon adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Half Moon
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Half Moon is better than North Carolina on 9 and worse on 0; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Half Moon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Half Moon | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%14.8–19.5 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.3–13.3 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.8–20 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%28–41.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.9%29.2–36.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.3%27.5–35.3 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.6%20.8–26.6 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%8.8–13.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11.2–15.3 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%17.5–25 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.8–18.7 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38%32–44.1 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%8.5–11.5 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.4–83 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.7%64.2–71.1 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.4–88.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%70.9–76.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.1–71.8 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%72.6–85.5 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.5–27.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%29.4–40.5 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%19.9–27.4 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%12.2–16.7 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.4%10.5–14.3 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.8–9.1 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.2–9.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.9%9.1–12.6 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%26.8–35.2 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%10.4–13.7 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%13.8–17.5 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 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 Half Moon
Is Half Moon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Half Moon is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #105 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Half Moon?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28% and 41.5%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Half Moon?
Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, 6.3 miles in a straight line from Half Moon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Half Moon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.5–11.5%), 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 Half Moon more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Half Moon.
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.