Cape Lookout Village Historic District · Photo: Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Harkers Island is healthier than 77%
Harkers Island differs from North Carolina on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Harkers Island. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Harkers Island
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Harkers Island
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.9%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.5%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. COPD is also above the state: 10.7%, vs 7.1% across North Carolina. In all, Harkers Island runs above North Carolina on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Harkers Island is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Harkers Island is healthier than 51%. Against the 8,920 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 77%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Harkers Island, and more people treating it
46.3% of adults have high blood pressure (North Carolina 36.8%), but 84.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Harkers Island keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.5% vs 80%) and cholesterol checks (91.8% vs 87.5%). Checkups ↓
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 Harkers Island’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Harkers Island’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harkers Island is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 89% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Harkers Island’s median household income is $60,000; among the 8,920 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 77%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Harkers Island adults…
Harkers Island runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Harkers Island is an older town: 36% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Harkers Island as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Harkers Island adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Care in and near Harkers Island
No hospital or community health center in Harkers Island 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 Harkers Island; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Harkers Island adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Harkers Island does better than North Carolina.
3 in 10 Harkers Island 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.
8% of Harkers Island adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Harkers Island and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harkers Island | B− | 33.8% | 14.8% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Harkers Island adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Harkers Island
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Harkers Island is better than North Carolina on 10 and worse on 8; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Harkers Island’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Harkers Island | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%16.3–25.5 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%12.7–18.1 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.1–16.2 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.8%26.3–41.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.8%12.3–17.3 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 46.3%41.3–51.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.2%40.3–50.1 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.8%34.4–43.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–12.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.9%12.4–15.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.5%8.9–12.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.7%8.3–13.2 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.2–5.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%8.8–13.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%10.6–17.7 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25%19.2–30.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.1%9.8–14.7 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.8%24.9–37.3 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%5.6–11.1 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.5%81.4–87.4 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.2%62.5–69.8 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.8%90.1–93.3 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.4%81.5–87.1 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77%72.5–81.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.7%73.8–86.5 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.3–27.7 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.7%23.6–34.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.2%15.5–23.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%7.4–13.4 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.1%5.5–8.9 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%3.8–5.8 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.5–6.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%5.7–10.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.4%30.4–42.4 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.2%15.2–23.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11–16.1 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.6%9.9–13.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.4–6.6 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%6.9–10.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.6–5.5 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Harkers Island
Is Harkers Island a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harkers Island is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Harkers Island?
CDC estimates 33.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.3% and 41.8%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Harkers Island?
Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City, 13.0 miles in a straight line from Harkers Island’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Harkers Island have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–11.1%), 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 Harkers Island 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 Harkers Island.
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.