Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Red Oak is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Red Oak differs from North Carolina on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Red Oak. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Red Oak
Red Oak keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (72.1% vs 63.6%) and cholesterol checks (90.5% vs 87.5%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Red Oak
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Red Oak adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults 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 Red Oak’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Red Oak’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Red Oak is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #75 of 289 in North Carolina. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 83% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 63%.
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). Red Oak’s median household income is $90,214; among the 9,919 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$113K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Red Oak adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Red Oak adults…
Red Oak runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Red Oak is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Red Oak as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.8% of Red Oak adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Red Oak
No hospital or community health center in Red Oak 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 Red Oak; ≈ 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.
1.7 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Red Oak adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
3 in 10 Red Oak 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.
Red Oak and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Red Oak adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Red Oak
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Red Oak is better than North Carolina on 10 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Red Oak’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Red Oak | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.5–18.6 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.4–13.8 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%12.9–16.8 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%24.6–39.9 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.5–13 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%32.9–42.2 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.4%34.4–44.2 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.9%26–33.7 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9–11.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%8.9–11.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.8–7.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.7–7.7 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%6.8–10.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12%10–14.4 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21%17.1–25.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.4–18.6 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30%24.2–36.4 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.7–8.5 | 10.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.5%77.8–84.6 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.1%68.8–75.3 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.5%89–91.9 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%76.1–82.5 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.2–75.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.6%73.7–86.4 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%19.5–27.3 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.3%24.6–34.7 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.5%17.2–24.3 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.4%7.7–11.3 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.2%6.9–9.8 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.5–6.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.7–6.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.5–8.1 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.4–33.3 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13%11–15.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.7–14.2 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.3 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.8–7.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 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 Red Oak
Is Red Oak a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Red Oak is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #75 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Red Oak?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.6% and 39.9%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Red Oak?
UNC Health Nash in Rocky Mount, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Red Oak’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Red Oak have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–8.5%), 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 Red Oak 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 Red Oak.
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.