Puppy Creek Plantation · Photo: Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Rockfish is healthier than 88%
Rockfish differs from North Carolina on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rockfish. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rockfish
Rockfish is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Rockfish is healthier than 66%. Against the 9,827 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 88%. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease and cancer are less common in Rockfish
Rockfish runs below North Carolina on five chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.7% vs 6.6%), cancer (5.8% vs 7.9%) and stroke (2.8% vs 3.6%). 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 Rockfish’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Rockfish’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rockfish is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, #121 of 289 in North Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 81% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 27%).
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). Rockfish’s median household income is $64,476; among the 9,827 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 88%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Rockfish adults…
Rockfish runs below NC on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Rockfish residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Rockfish
No hospital or community health center in Rockfish 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 Rockfish; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Rockfish adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Rockfish adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Rockfish 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.
12% of Rockfish adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Rockfish and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockfish | B+ | 34.8% | 10% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Fayetteville | C+ | 40.4% | 12.6% | 14.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rockfish adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rockfish
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rockfish is better than North Carolina on 5 and worse on 1; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Rockfish’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rockfish | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.7%15.3–20.3 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.6–13.8 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.3–20.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.8%27.5–43.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.6–11.6 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.7%28.8–37.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.1%28–36.7 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.6%20.7–27 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3.1 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.4–14.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%11.9–16.1 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.7%18.8–27 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.4–20.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.8%29.8–43.4 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%8.6–11.9 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.2%74.2–81.9 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.2%61.3–68.8 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.6–88.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72%68.5–75.2 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.8%60.4–70.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%72.9–86 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.3–30.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%29.3–39.9 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%19.9–27.1 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.5%13.2–18.2 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.8%11.8–16.1 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%7.7–10.4 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.7–10 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12%10.1–14.1 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%25.5–34.1 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%9.9–13.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%13.8–17.6 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 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 Rockfish
Is Rockfish a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rockfish is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #121 of 289 in North Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rockfish?
CDC estimates 34.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 43.2%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rockfish?
Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton, 25.0 miles in a straight line from Rockfish’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rockfish have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–11.9%), 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 Rockfish more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Rockfish.
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.