Granite Mill · Photo: Bureau of Labor Statistics, State of North Carolina (1897) & State Library of North Carolina · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Haw River is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns
Haw River trails North Carolina on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Haw River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Haw River
Dental care lags in Haw River
54.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.6% across North Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 23.5% have lost all their teeth (North Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Haw River
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (22.5%), vs 15.2% across North Carolina. No reliable transportation (11.5% vs 8.4%) and housing insecurity (16.6% vs 12.2%) are higher too. 19.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Haw River
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.9%), vs 7.1% across North Carolina. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.2%), vs 3.6% across North Carolina. In all, Haw River runs above North Carolina on three of 11 chronic conditions. 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 Haw River’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Haw River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Haw River is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 33% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Haw River’s median household income is $61,058; among the 9,184 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 18%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Haw River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.6% of Haw River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Haw River adults…
Haw River runs above NC on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Haw River residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Haw River
No hospital or community health center in Haw River 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 Haw River; ≈ 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.
2.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Haw River adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Haw River runs above North Carolina.
1 in 3 Haw River 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.
Haw River and the towns around it
Haw River’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haw River | D | 41.2% | 13.2% | 19.1% | CDC place |
| Graham | C+ | 39.9% | 12.8% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Burlington | C | 40.8% | 14.1% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Green Level | D | 45.3% | 16.3% | 16.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Haw River adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Haw River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Haw River is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Haw River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Haw River | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.5%22.3–28.9 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.2–18.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.2–21.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.2%33.1–49.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.4%33–41.5 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.1%31.7–40.4 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.2–33 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.1–13 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7–8.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.5%19.6–27.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.1%16.4–22 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.5%24.8–34.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%11.4–17.1 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%30.3–42.7 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.2%13.7–18.9 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%74.3–81.6 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.2%50.4–57.8 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.4–86.6 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%72.4–78.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.2%55.8–66 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.3%68.5–82.7 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%22.5–30.3 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%29.9–40.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.8–28.3 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.5%19.5–25.9 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.6%14.4–19.1 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11%9.5–12.6 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%10.1–13 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.6%16.8–22.6 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.3%33.5–43 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.9%15.5–20.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.5%17.2–21.9 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.5–9.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.7–8.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5–6.2 | 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 Haw River
Is Haw River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Haw River is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Haw River?
CDC estimates 41.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.1% and 49.2%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Haw River?
Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, 6.2 miles in a straight line from Haw River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Haw River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.7–18.9%), 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 Haw River more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Haw River.
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.