Photo: Harrisburg_11 · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Harrisburg is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Harrisburg beats North Carolina on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Harrisburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Harrisburg
Against towns with similar incomes, Harrisburg’s lead shrinks
Harrisburg is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, but 58% of the 2,863 towns with similar household incomes ($111K–$185K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Harrisburg
Harrisburg runs below North Carolina on four chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.8% vs 7.1%), heart disease (4.7% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.7% vs 3.6%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Harrisburg adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Harrisburg is an active town
Only 18.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% 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 Harrisburg’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Harrisburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harrisburg is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #31 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 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 81%.
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). Harrisburg’s median household income is $148,254; among the 2,863 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($111K–$185K), it’s healthier than 58%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Harrisburg adults…
Harrisburg runs below NC on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Harrisburg residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.4% of Harrisburg 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.
7.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Harrisburg
No hospital or community health center in Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Harrisburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Harrisburg adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Harrisburg 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.
Harrisburg and the towns around it
Harrisburg has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | A | 30.7% | 9.8% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Concord | B+ | 33.5% | 10.6% | 12.5% | CDC place |
| Charlotte | A− | 30.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Harrisburg adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Harrisburg
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Harrisburg is better than North Carolina on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Harrisburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Harrisburg | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%12.3–16.5 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%8.9–11.6 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.8–16.6 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.7%23.5–38.4 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.4–11.3 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.9%28.7–37.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.9%29.4–38.5 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.8%20.7–27 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.8–11.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–2.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.3–11.2 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.7–12.3 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.7%15.2–22.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.2–18.3 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%26.9–39.6 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%6–8.5 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%75.8–82.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.5%69.3–75.8 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.8%88.1–91.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%71.5–78.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%60.6–70.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.3%76.1–87.7 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%18.8–26 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%26.3–36 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.8–25.5 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.3%8.7–12 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.7–10.5 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.1–6.9 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%6.2–8.8 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.3%21.5–29.1 | 32% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.8%10.3–13.4 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.2–6.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 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 Harrisburg
Is Harrisburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Harrisburg is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #31 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Harrisburg?
CDC estimates 30.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.5% and 38.4%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Harrisburg?
Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center in Charlotte, 5.7 miles in a straight line from Harrisburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Harrisburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–8.5%), 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 Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg.
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.