Latham House · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainPlymouth’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Plymouth differs from North Carolina on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Plymouth. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Plymouth
Stroke, COPD and diabetes run high in Plymouth
1 in 13 adults have had a stroke (7.8%), about twice the North Carolina rate. 1 in 7 adults have COPD (14.1%), about twice the North Carolina rate. Diabetes is also above the state: 23.5%, vs 12% across North Carolina. In all, Plymouth runs above North Carolina on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and stroke, COPD and diabetes are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Plymouth adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (39.8%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Plymouth
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (35.2%), more than twice the North Carolina rate. Utility shut-off threats (19.7% vs 8.1%) and no reliable transportation (17.7% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 37.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Plymouth’s likely range.
What’s behind Plymouth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plymouth is near the bottom of U.S. towns, #287 of 289 in North Carolina. All seven of Plymouth’s estimates fall in the lowest 12% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is diabetes: 23.5% of adults, against 12% across North Carolina and 12% nationally.
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). Plymouth’s median household income is $34,521; among the 1,180 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 14%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Plymouth compares well: binge drinking, 9.3% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.8% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 83.2% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Plymouth adults…
Plymouth runs above NC on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Plymouth is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Plymouth as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
1.3 miles of trails across 3 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.
37.4% of Plymouth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Plymouth
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Plymouth, 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 Plymouth; ≈ 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 Plymouth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Plymouth adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Plymouth runs above North Carolina.
4 in 10 Plymouth 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.
Plymouth and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth | D− | 48.1% | 23.5% | 22.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Plymouth adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Plymouth
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Plymouth is better than North Carolina on 3 and worse on 22; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Plymouth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Plymouth | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34.6%30.8–38.8 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%17.1–21.8 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.4–22.2 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 48.1%38.8–57 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 23.5%20.6–26.4 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 54.5%49.7–59 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.5%35.7–45.2 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.5%34.3–42.4 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.5%11.8–15.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.2–8.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.6%10.5–12.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14.1%12.6–15.9 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7.8%7.2–8.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 31.3%26.4–36.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.3%19.2–25.8 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 39.8%34–45.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 9.3%7.4–11.4 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.1%33.7–48.8 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.5%11.3–16.1 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.8%81.7–87.4 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50%46–54 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.5–89.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.2%80.7–85.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%58.3–69.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.5%68.5–83.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20–27.6 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.3%31–42.1 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.5%24.7–32.9 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.2%31.2–39.6 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.7%21.7–28 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 19.7%17.5–22.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.7%15.7–19.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 37.4%33.2–41.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47.9%42.7–53.1 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 29%25.9–32.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.6%18.3–23.3 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9.2–11.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 12.3%11.2–13.6 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 15.8%14.1–17.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 9.8%8.9–10.9 | 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 Plymouth
Is Plymouth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plymouth is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health, #287 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 14%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Plymouth?
CDC estimates 48.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.8% and 57%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Plymouth?
Washington County Hosp in Plymouth, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Plymouth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Plymouth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–16.1%), 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 Plymouth more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Plymouth.
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.