Photo: Leah Rucker · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Hillsborough is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Hillsborough beats North Carolina on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hillsborough. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hillsborough
What’s behind Hillsborough’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hillsborough is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #60 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 88% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 75%.
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). Hillsborough’s median household income is $98,163; among the 8,843 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Hillsborough adults…
Hillsborough runs below NC on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Hillsborough
No hospital or community health center in Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
5.7 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Hillsborough adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Hillsborough adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Hillsborough 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.
9.4% of Hillsborough adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Hillsborough and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | A− | 31.5% | 10.4% | 11.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hillsborough adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hillsborough
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hillsborough is better than North Carolina on 10 and worse on 0; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Hillsborough’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hillsborough | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.7–18.3 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.9–12.8 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.6–17.4 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.5%25–38.7 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%9–12 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%30.1–38.2 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%30.5–39.1 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.9%22.8–29.2 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.4–9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.9%5.1–6.8 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.6%7.7–11.7 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9.8–13.8 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.3%16.8–24.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.3–18.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%25.7–37 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.6–10.8 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.9%76.4–83.2 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.5%66.2–72.5 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87.2–90.3 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.5%73.4–79.5 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.2%65.5–74.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%73–85.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.7–28.1 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%26.6–36.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21%17.8–24.4 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.2%10.3–14.2 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%8.8–12 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%5.9–7.9 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%6.1–8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.4%7.9–11.2 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.4%24.5–32.6 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%10.4–13.8 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%11.5–15 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.2–8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%3–3.7 | 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 Hillsborough
Is Hillsborough a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hillsborough is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #60 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hillsborough?
CDC estimates 31.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 25% and 38.7%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hillsborough?
Duke University Hospital in Durham, 10.2 miles in a straight line from Hillsborough’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hillsborough have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–10.8%), 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 Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough.
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.