Photo: Harris Walker · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Rocky Mount is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns
Rocky Mount differs from North Carolina on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rocky Mount. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rocky Mount
Making ends meet is harder in Rocky Mount
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (27%), vs 15.2% across North Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (15.1% vs 8.1%) and housing insecurity (20.8% vs 12.2%) are higher too. 25.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke, diabetes and COPD run high in Rocky Mount
1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.4%), vs 3.6% across North Carolina. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (17.7%), vs 12% across North Carolina. COPD is also above the state: 9.2%, vs 7.1% across North Carolina. In all, Rocky Mount runs above North Carolina on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Rocky Mount adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.4%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. There are 22 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Rocky Mount has a top-rated hospital
UNC Health Nash is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Rocky Mount’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Rocky Mount’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rocky Mount is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns, #252 of 289 in North Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 33% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Rocky Mount’s median household income is $55,534; among the 7,591 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Rocky Mount compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7.1% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 11.4% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 83.1% (U.S. 77.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.7% of Rocky Mount adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Out of every 100 Rocky Mount adults…
Rocky Mount runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
22 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
Care in and near Rocky Mount
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Rocky Mount, 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 Rocky Mount; ≈ 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 Rocky Mount adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Rocky Mount adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Rocky Mount runs above North Carolina.
1 in 3 Rocky Mount 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.
Rocky Mount and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount | D | 42.4% | 17.7% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| Dortches | B− | 35.4% | 14.3% | 14% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rocky Mount adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rocky Mount
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rocky Mount is better than North Carolina on 4 and worse on 20; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Rocky Mount’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rocky Mount | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.6%24.2–29 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.9–16.7 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.3–19.7 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.4%36–48.6 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.7%15.9–19.4 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 46.6%43–50 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%34–41.2 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%28.7–34.2 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.3–13.7 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.5–7.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.3–8.7 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.2%8.4–10.1 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.4%5.1–5.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.4%17.6–23.3 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%15.4–19 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.4%28.7–36.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.4%9.5–13.4 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.6%33.2–43.9 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.4%10.8–14 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.1%80.4–85.4 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%52.8–59 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86.4–89.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.6%78.4–82.5 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%63.5–71.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%74.7–84.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%19.3–25 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%30.5–38.9 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%24.3–30.7 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27%24.5–29.4 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.8%18.8–22.7 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.1%13.6–16.6 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.8%12.5–15 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.7%23.2–28.2 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.4%34.8–41.8 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.6%18.8–22.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.8–19 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.6–8 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.5%7.9–9.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.6%10.6–12.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.6%6.1–7 | 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 Rocky Mount
Is Rocky Mount a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rocky Mount is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns: D for health, #252 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rocky Mount?
CDC estimates 42.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 36% and 48.6%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rocky Mount?
UNC Health Nash in Rocky Mount, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Rocky Mount’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rocky Mount have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.8–14%), 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 Rocky Mount more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Rocky Mount.
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.