US Naval Ordnance Testing Facility Assembly Building · Public domainWhere Topsail Beach residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Topsail Beach, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Topsail Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Topsail Beach
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Topsail Beach
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (14.6%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 37.2% of adults have arthritis, vs 26.9% across North Carolina. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.5%, vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Topsail Beach runs above North Carolina on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 58% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Topsail Beach, and more people treating it
43.3% of adults have high blood pressure (North Carolina 36.8%), but 84.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Topsail Beach keeps up with checkups
It beats North Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (86% vs 80%) and dentist visits (75.3% vs 63.6%). Checkups ↓
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 Topsail Beach’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Topsail Beach adults…
Topsail Beach runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Topsail Beach is an older town: 58% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Carolina. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Topsail Beach as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Topsail Beach adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Care in and near Topsail Beach
No hospital or community health center in Topsail Beach 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 Topsail Beach; ≈ 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.
How Topsail Beach adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Topsail Beach does better than North Carolina.
1 in 4 Topsail Beach 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.
3.9% of Topsail Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Topsail Beach and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surf City | A | 33.1% | 9.7% | 11.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Topsail Beach adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Topsail Beach
Why doesn’t Topsail Beach have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Topsail Beach.
What hospital is closest to Topsail Beach?
Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, 17.4 miles in a straight line from Topsail Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Topsail Beach.
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. 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.