Harnett County Training School · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Walnut Creek is healthier than 4%
Walnut Creek differs from North Carolina on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Walnut Creek. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Walnut Creek
Against towns with similar incomes, Walnut Creek’s lead shrinks
Walnut Creek is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, but 4% of the 1,830 towns with similar household incomes ($125K–$208K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease run high in Walnut Creek
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.6%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.1%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. In all, Walnut Creek runs above North Carolina on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Walnut Creek adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below North Carolina. 1 in 9 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 Walnut Creek’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Walnut Creek’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walnut Creek is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Walnut Creek’s median household income is $166,250; among the 1,830 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($125K–$208K), it’s healthier than 4%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Walnut Creek adults…
Walnut Creek runs above NC on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.2% of Walnut Creek adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Care in and near Walnut Creek
No hospital or community health center in Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek; ≈ 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 Walnut Creek adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Walnut Creek adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
3 in 10 Walnut Creek 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.
Walnut Creek and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Creek | B | 34.6% | 12.9% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Walnut Creek adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Walnut Creek
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Walnut Creek is better than North Carolina on 7 and worse on 3; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Walnut Creek’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Walnut Creek | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.7%15.1–23.1 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.3–16.3 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%12.9–17.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%26.2–43.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%10.7–15.2 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.9%35.7–45.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40%34.9–45.1 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.4%28–36.7 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.1–12.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.4–11.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%6.9–9.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.5%6.8–10.5 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.5–4.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.2%10.7–16 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%10.5–17.3 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.2%18.1–29.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%11.5–17.8 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.6%22.1–33.6 | 34.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6–10.9 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.9%78.2–85.1 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.7%69.4–75.8 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.5%87.4–91.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.6%77.4–83.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%64.2–73.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.1%68.2–82.9 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%20.7–29.2 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%23.7–33.7 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.7%16.3–23.6 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%8.6–14.6 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%6.7–10.6 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%4.8–7.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.2–7.8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.2%6.6–12.1 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33%27.4–39 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%12.7–19.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%11.3–16.5 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%7.8–10.6 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.2–6 | 5.3% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%6.6–9.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.3–4.9 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Walnut Creek
Is Walnut Creek a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walnut Creek is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B 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 Walnut Creek?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.2% and 43.3%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Walnut Creek?
UNC Health Care Wayne in Goldsboro, 7.8 miles in a straight line from Walnut Creek’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Walnut Creek have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–10.9%), 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 Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek.
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.