Photo: Abhiram Juvvadi · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Raleigh as a whole is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Raleigh differs from North Carolina on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Raleigh. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Raleigh
Raleigh has a five-star hospital
Rex Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Raleigh
Raleigh runs below North Carolina on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.6% vs 7.1%), heart disease (4.3% vs 6.6%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.6%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). Conditions ↓
Raleigh is an active town
Only 19.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across North Carolina. The town has 107 miles of trails across 172 parks and preserves. 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 Raleigh’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Raleigh’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Raleigh is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #44 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 96% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 58%.
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). Raleigh’s median household income is $85,395; among the 10,371 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
At 506,306 residents, Raleigh is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Raleigh
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Raleigh, 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 Raleigh; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Raleigh adults…
Raleigh runs below NC on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Raleigh residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
107 miles of trails across 172 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Raleigh adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Raleigh adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Raleigh 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.
11.5% of Raleigh adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Raleigh and the towns around it
Raleigh’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | A | 30.9% | 9.1% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Cary | A+ | 25.3% | 8.6% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Garner | A− | 32.5% | 11% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Wake Forest | A | 29.5% | 9.1% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Durham | A− | 36.8% | 10.2% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Knightdale | B | 35.7% | 11.1% | 13.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Raleigh adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Raleigh
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Raleigh is better than North Carolina on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Raleigh’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Raleigh | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.4%13.6–17.3 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.8%8.7–11 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.8–18.6 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.9%26.5–35.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.1%8–10.4 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.9%27.9–34 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.3%28.2–34.6 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.8%17.6–22.1 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.4–6.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.9%9–13.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%9.1–12 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.4%16.7–22.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.9–17.9 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%29.3–37.6 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%8.4–11 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.9–81.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.7%62.7–68.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.7–88.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.1%68.1–74 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.2%62–70.3 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%72.8–84.2 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%21.5–27.8 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%29.6–37.7 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.8–24.7 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.3%12.6–16.1 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%7–9 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.4–9.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.5%10.2–13.1 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.9%22.9–29 | 32% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10%8.8–11.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%12.5–15.5 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 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 Raleigh
Is Raleigh a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Raleigh is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #44 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Raleigh?
CDC estimates 30.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.5% and 35.5%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Raleigh?
Rex Hospital in Raleigh, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Raleigh’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Raleigh have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–11%), 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh.
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.