Scotland Neck Historic District · Photo: Indy beetle · CC0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Scotland Neck is healthier than 85%
Scotland Neck differs from North Carolina on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Scotland Neck. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Scotland Neck
Stroke, diabetes and COPD run high in Scotland Neck
1 in 14 adults have had a stroke (7.4%), about twice the North Carolina rate. 1 in 5 adults have diabetes (21.9%), vs 12% across North Carolina. COPD is also above the state: 11.8%, vs 7.1% across North Carolina. In all, Scotland Neck runs above North Carolina on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and stroke, diabetes and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Scotland Neck adults get no exercise
37.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Scotland Neck
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (29.9%), about twice the North Carolina rate. Utility shut-off threats (15.2% vs 8.1%) and housing insecurity (21.1% vs 12.2%) are higher too. 28.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Scotland Neck is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Scotland Neck is healthier than 9%. Against the 53 towns with similar household incomes ($14K–$24K), it’s healthier than 85%. Health Grade ↓
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 Scotland Neck’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Scotland Neck’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Scotland Neck is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 50% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Scotland Neck’s median household income is $19,083; among the 53 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($14K–$24K), it’s healthier than 85%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Scotland Neck compares well: binge drinking, 9.7% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 85.1% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.3% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Scotland Neck adults…
Scotland Neck runs above NC on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Scotland Neck is an older town: 30% 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 Scotland Neck as about how healthy they are.
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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
28.4% of Scotland Neck adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Scotland Neck
No hospital or community health center in Scotland Neck 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 Scotland Neck; ≈ 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 Scotland Neck adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Scotland Neck adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Scotland Neck runs above North Carolina.
4 in 10 Scotland Neck 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.
Scotland Neck and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland Neck | D | 42.7% | 21.9% | 18.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Scotland Neck adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Scotland Neck
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Scotland Neck is better than North Carolina on 4 and worse on 21; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Scotland Neck’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Scotland Neck | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.9%27–35.3 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.4–20.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.1–19.5 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%35.5–52.1 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 21.9%19.3–25 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 54.2%50.3–59.2 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.8%37.7–47.3 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.5%34–42.2 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.1–14.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.6–9.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.8%10.2–13.8 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7.4%6.7–8.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25.6%21.8–29.9 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.5%15.8–21.8 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37.1%32–43.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 9.7%8–12.2 | 14.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%32.5–46 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14%11.5–16.8 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.1%82.6–87.9 | 80% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.8%47.2–54.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.8–91 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.9%81.8–86.3 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%62.7–72.6 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%72.5–85.3 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.3%17.5–24.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%30.7–42.2 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.5%25.3–34.3 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 29.9%25.7–34.1 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.1%18.2–24.1 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.2%13.2–17.4 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.4%12.3–16.5 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 28.4%24.3–32.5 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.5%38.8–49.2 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 26.4%23.1–30.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16–20.8 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.5–10.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.6%9.4–12.1 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 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 Scotland Neck
Is Scotland Neck a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Scotland Neck is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Scotland Neck?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.5% and 52.1%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Scotland Neck?
Vidant Edgecombe Hospital in Tarboro, 16.2 miles in a straight line from Scotland Neck’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Scotland Neck have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.5–16.8%), 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 Scotland Neck 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 Scotland Neck.
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.