On CDC estimates, Holly Ridge is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Holly Ridge differs from North Carolina on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Holly Ridge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Holly Ridge
Binge drinking is the habit Holly Ridge doesn’t win on
18.6% of adults binge drink, vs 14.7% across North Carolina, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Holly Ridge
Holly Ridge runs below North Carolina on eight chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (7.2% vs 12%), stroke (2.2% vs 3.6%) and heart disease (4.1% vs 6.6%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). Conditions ↓
Holly Ridge is short on primary care and mental health care
Holly Ridge’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 ↓
Holly Ridge is an active town
Only 16.4% 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 Holly Ridge’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Holly Ridge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Holly Ridge is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #40 of 289 in North Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). Holly Ridge’s median household income is $104,788; among the 7,873 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$131K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
Out of every 100 Holly Ridge adults…
Holly Ridge runs below NC on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Holly Ridge residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Holly Ridge
No hospital or community health center in Holly Ridge 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 Holly Ridge; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Holly Ridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Holly Ridge adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Holly Ridge 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.
7.4% of Holly Ridge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Holly Ridge and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Ridge | A | 31.6% | 7.2% | 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 Holly Ridge adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Holly Ridge
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Holly Ridge is better than North Carolina on 17 and worse on 2; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Holly Ridge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Holly Ridge | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.4%11–16.2 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10%8.5–11.7 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%14.8–19.8 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.6%25.4–38.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.2%6–8.4 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.8%23.4–30.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.9%25.3–32.8 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20%17.4–22.8 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.1%3.5–4.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%3.8–5.7 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%1.9–2.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.5–10.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.6%9–14.5 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.4%13.2–20.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.4–22.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%29.5–41.5 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%6.4–11.1 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%73.8–81.1 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.3%63.9–70.7 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%83.2–88.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.3%64.8–71.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.4%64.5–74.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.5%73.5–86.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.4%21.7–29.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%27.5–38.4 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.3%16.7–24.3 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%7.7–12.9 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%7.3–11.5 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%4.7–7.1 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.2–7.7 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%5.4–9.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.1%22.1–30.9 | 32% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.5%7–10.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%11.7–16.7 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.5–6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%2.9–3.9 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.2–7.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2–2.8 | 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 Holly Ridge
Is Holly Ridge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Holly Ridge is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #40 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Holly Ridge?
CDC estimates 31.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 38.5%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Holly Ridge?
Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, 20.9 miles in a straight line from Holly Ridge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Holly Ridge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–11.1%), 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 Holly Ridge 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 Holly Ridge.
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.