Photo: NatalieMaynor · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wilkesboro is healthier than 93%
Wilkesboro differs from North Carolina on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wilkesboro. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Wilkesboro is healthier than 47%. Against the 2,642 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$51K), it’s healthier than 93%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Wilkesboro
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.5%), vs 7.9% across North Carolina. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 6.6% across North Carolina. COPD is also above the state: 9%, vs 7.1% across North Carolina. In all, Wilkesboro runs above North Carolina on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Wilkesboro has a community health center but no hospital
Wilkes Community Health Center (Wilkes County Health Department) is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Wilkes Regional Medical Center in North Wilkesboro, 1.6 miles away. 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 Wilkesboro’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Wilkesboro’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wilkesboro is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns, #167 of 289 in North Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 61% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 34%).
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). Wilkesboro’s median household income is $40,907; among the 2,642 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$51K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Wilkesboro compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.9% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Wilkesboro adults…
Wilkesboro runs above NC on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Wilkesboro is an older town: 31% 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 Wilkesboro as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Wilkesboro
1 community health center in Wilkesboro, 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 Wilkesboro; ≈ 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.
8.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Wilkesboro adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Wilkesboro adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Wilkesboro 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 Wilkesboro adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Wilkesboro and the towns around it
Wilkesboro’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkesboro | B− | 35.7% | 13.1% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Moravian Falls | B | 35.9% | 12% | 13% | CDC place |
| Cricket | D | 41.7% | 18.2% | 21.2% | CDC place |
| North Wilkesboro | C | 38.9% | 13.7% | 16.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wilkesboro adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wilkesboro
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wilkesboro is better than North Carolina on 1 and worse on 6; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Wilkesboro’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wilkesboro | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%18.2–24.2 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.6–16.4 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.5 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.7%28–43.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.3–14.9 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.1–44.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%35–43.9 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32%28.4–35.4 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.2 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.4–11.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.4–9.4 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.8–10.4 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4–5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.3%12.6–18.3 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.3–16.7 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.6%22–31.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.5%11–16.1 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.1%26.8–39.6 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.6%9.7–13.5 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%77.7–84.1 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%55.6–62.9 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%86–89.5 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.2–82.4 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%60.3–70.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.7%69.4–83 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%21.4–29 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.6%28.3–39.3 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.2–26.7 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15%12.7–17.6 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.2%9.5–13 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.3–8.4 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7–9.2 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12%10.1–14.3 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.6%31.9–41.3 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.5%15–20.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%13.9–17.9 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.7–11.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.4–6.8 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.4–10.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–5.1 | 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 Wilkesboro
Is Wilkesboro a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wilkesboro is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #167 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 Wilkesboro?
CDC estimates 35.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 28% and 43.8%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wilkesboro?
Wilkes Regional Medical Center in North Wilkesboro, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Wilkesboro’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wilkesboro have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–13.5%), 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 Wilkesboro more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wilkesboro.
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.