Pelletier House and Wantland Spring · Photo: Hammerattack at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Jacksonville is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Jacksonville differs from North Carolina on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Jacksonville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Jacksonville
Jacksonville is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Jacksonville is healthier than 78%. Against the 8,227 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 97%. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Jacksonville doesn’t win on
19.5% of adults binge drink, vs 14.7% across North Carolina, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Mental distress runs high in Jacksonville
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20%), vs 16.5% across North Carolina. Loneliness is above the state too: 39.3%, vs 32.5% across North Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Jacksonville is short on primary care and mental health care
Jacksonville’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 ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Jacksonville
Jacksonville runs below North Carolina on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (3.7% vs 7.9%), heart disease (3.6% vs 6.6%) and arthritis (14.9% vs 26.9%). A young population is part of it: only 8% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). 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 Jacksonville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Jacksonville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jacksonville is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #86 of 289 in North Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Jacksonville’s median household income is $57,697; among the 8,227 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 97%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
52 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Jacksonville adults…
Jacksonville runs below NC on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Jacksonville residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Jacksonville adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Jacksonville runs above North Carolina.
2 in 5 Jacksonville 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.
Care in and near Jacksonville
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Jacksonville, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Jacksonville; ≈ 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 Jacksonville 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.
12.9% of Jacksonville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Jacksonville and the towns around it
Jacksonville has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville | A− | 30.8% | 7% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Piney Green | B | 35.5% | 9.9% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Half Moon | B+ | 34.5% | 10.2% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Pumpkin Center | B | 34.9% | 12.2% | 14% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Jacksonville adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Jacksonville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jacksonville is better than North Carolina on 12 and worse on 9; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Jacksonville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Jacksonville | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%14.5–18.7 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%9–11.5 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.8–22.4 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.8%25.1–37.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7%6.1–8 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.9%21.1–27 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 23.7%20.7–26.9 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 14.9%13–16.8 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.2 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.6%3.2–4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.1%2–2.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%15–21.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.6%10.1–13.4 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.9%16.8–23.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.5%16.2–23.3 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%32.8–45.1 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.9%11.1–14.9 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.8%69.8–77.8 | 80% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60%56.3–63.7 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76.4%73.6–79.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 61.9%59.5–64.3 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%58.9–69 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%70.5–84 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.3–27.5 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.3%33.8–45.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%21.9–29.8 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%15–19.9 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.5%11.6–15.5 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.5%7.4–9.8 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.7%9.4–12 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.9%11.2–14.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3%27.5–35.6 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.8%7.8–10 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%16.8–20.9 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.5–5.3 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 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 Jacksonville
Is Jacksonville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jacksonville is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #86 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Jacksonville?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 37.2%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Jacksonville?
Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Jacksonville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Jacksonville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.1–14.9%), 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 Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville.
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.