Photo: Locust member · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Hilton Head Island is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Hilton Head Island differs from South Carolina on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hilton Head Island. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hilton Head Island
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Hilton Head Island
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (14.7%), vs 8.6% across South Carolina. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.4%), vs 6.8% across South Carolina. Arthritis is also above the state: 34.5%, vs 28.5% across South Carolina. In all, Hilton Head Island runs above South Carolina on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 39% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Hilton Head Island keeps up with checkups
It beats South Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.3% vs 80.6%) and dentist visits (72.8% vs 63.1%). Checkups ↓
Hilton Head Island adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (23.5% vs 31.7%), frequent mental distress (11% vs 16.4%), lack of emotional support (16.4% vs 23.6%) and depression (16.8% vs 22.3%) all run below South Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
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 South Carolina figure falls outside Hilton Head Island’s likely range.
What’s behind Hilton Head Island’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hilton Head Island is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, #15 of 169 in South Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every U.S. town); diabetes pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Hilton Head Island’s median household income is $94,657; among the 9,347 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 87%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Hilton Head Island adults…
Hilton Head Island runs below SC on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Hilton Head Island is an older town: 39% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Hilton Head Island as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Hilton Head Island adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Hilton Head Island adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Hilton Head Island does better than South Carolina.
1 in 4 Hilton Head Island 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.
Care in and near Hilton Head Island
1 hospital in Hilton Head Island, 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 Hilton Head Island; ≈ 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 South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
72 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.4% of Hilton Head Island adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Hilton Head Island and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Head Island | A− | 27.8% | 13.2% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Daufuskie Island | — | — | — | — |
Daufuskie Island: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hilton Head Island adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hilton Head Island
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hilton Head Island is better than South Carolina on 20 and worse on 4; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Hilton Head Island’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hilton Head Island | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.6%12.8–16.5 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.2–14.2 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.8–12.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.8%23.7–32.1 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.5–14.9 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.3%37.9–44.8 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.8%41.2–48.4 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.5%31.4–37.6 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 8.1%7.2–9.2 | 9.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 14.7%13.5–16 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%6.3–8 | 7.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.5–9.4 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.5%7.2–9.8 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.1%16.4–22 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%12.2–16.7 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.8%23.1–30.4 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.3%82.9–87.4 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.8%70.1–75.3 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%91.1–93.1 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 86.5%84.3–88.5 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.4%71.7–78.7 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.5%74.9–85 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.8%14.5–19.3 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 23.5%20.3–26.5 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.4%14.1–18.7 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%8.7–11.4 | 17.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.4%4.7–6.3 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%24.5–30.8 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.5–16.1 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10%8.8–11.2 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%6–7.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 4.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Hilton Head Island
Is Hilton Head Island a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hilton Head Island is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #15 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 87%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hilton Head Island?
CDC estimates 27.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.7% and 32.1%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hilton Head Island?
Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center in Hilton Head Island, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Hilton Head Island’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hilton Head Island have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.6–12.4%), against 11.8% across South 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 Hilton Head Island more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Hilton Head Island.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South 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.