Photo: Doug Anderson · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Oak Island is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Oak Island differs from North Carolina on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Oak Island. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Oak Island
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Oak Island
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.7%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 37.4% of adults have arthritis, vs 26.9% across North Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.7%, vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Oak Island runs above North Carolina on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 42% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Oak Island keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.7% vs 80%) and dentist visits (72.6% vs 63.6%). Checkups ↓
Oak Island adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (26% vs 32.5%), frequent mental distress (12.7% vs 16.5%) and lack of emotional support (16.5% vs 22.5%) all run below North Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
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 Oak Island’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Oak Island’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oak Island is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #85 of 289 in North Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). Oak Island’s median household income is $85,872; among the 10,322 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Oak Island adults…
Oak Island runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Oak Island is an older town: 42% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Oak Island as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Oak Island adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Oak Island adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Oak Island does better than North Carolina.
1 in 4 Oak Island 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 Oak Island
No hospital or community health center in Oak Island 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 Oak Island; ≈ 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.
13 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.7% of Oak Island adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Oak Island and the towns around it
Oak Island’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Island | A− | 31.3% | 13% | 11% | CDC place |
| Boiling Spring Lakes | B | 34% | 11.8% | 14.7% | CDC place |
| St. James | A− | 28.8% | 15.4% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Caswell Beach | — | — | — | — |
Caswell Beach: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Oak Island adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Oak Island
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Oak Island is better than North Carolina on 16 and worse on 6; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Oak Island’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Oak Island | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.5–18.5 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.1–14.6 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11–14.4 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.3%24.9–38.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.1–15.1 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.8%37.3–46.4 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44%39.2–48.9 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.4%33.4–41.5 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%8.9–11.5 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.7%12.4–15.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.1%6.9–9.4 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.3%6.6–10.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%9–13.2 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20%16.3–24 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.6%10.2–15.4 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.7%24.9–36.7 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.5–6.8 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.7%82.9–88.3 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.6%69.2–75.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.5%92.4–94.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.1%81–86.9 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.8%72.3–80.6 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.6%74.7–87 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%19.7–26.8 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26%21.6–30.7 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.5%13.9–19.5 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.3%6–8.9 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.7%4.7–6.8 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.4–4.7 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.8–5.1 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.7%4.5–7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%26.5–35.3 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%12.8–17.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.4–12.6 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.4–10.8 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.8–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.1–4 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Oak Island
Is Oak Island a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oak Island is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #85 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Oak Island?
CDC estimates 31.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.9% and 38.5%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Oak Island?
Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center in Supply, 8.3 miles in a straight line from Oak Island’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Oak Island have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–6.8%), 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 Oak Island 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 Oak Island.
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.