On CDC estimates, Laurel Bay is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Laurel Bay differs from South Carolina on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Laurel Bay. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Laurel Bay
Binge drinking is the habit Laurel Bay doesn’t win on
22.8% of adults binge drink, vs 15.7% across South Carolina, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Laurel Bay is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Laurel Bay is healthier than 74%. Against the 7,224 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 97%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Laurel Bay
22.4% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 17.4% across South Carolina. No reliable transportation (11.6% vs 8.6%) and housing insecurity (17.2% vs 13.3%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Laurel Bay
Laurel Bay runs below South Carolina on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (4% vs 8.6%), heart disease (3.6% vs 6.8%) and arthritis (16.3% vs 28.5%). A young population is part of it: only 5% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%). Conditions ↓
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 Laurel Bay’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Laurel Bay’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurel Bay is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, #31 of 169 in South Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Laurel Bay’s median household income is $54,345; among the 7,224 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 97%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Laurel Bay adults…
Laurel Bay runs below SC on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 5% of Laurel Bay residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.1% of Laurel Bay adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Care in and near Laurel Bay
No hospital or community health center in Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay; ≈ 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 Laurel Bay adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Laurel Bay adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Laurel Bay runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Laurel Bay 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.
Laurel Bay and the towns around it
Laurel Bay’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel Bay | B+ | 31.8% | 8.2% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Beaufort | A− | 30.9% | 11.3% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Burton | B− | 36.2% | 14.4% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Laurel Bay adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Laurel Bay
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Laurel Bay is better than South Carolina on 11 and worse on 12; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Laurel Bay’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Laurel Bay | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.2%14.1–18.6 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.2–13 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%17.7–22.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%27.5–36.4 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.2%7.2–9.2 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.1%22.7–27.6 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 26.8%24.2–29.4 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 16.3%14.7–18 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.6–11 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4%3.6–4.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.6%3.2–4 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%4.4–5.6 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.6 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17%14.2–20 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.8–14.7 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%17.9–24.2 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 22.8%19.6–26.2 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%31.4–40 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.7%13.3–18.6 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.9%70.2–77.3 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.9%57.6–64 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.8%74.5–80.7 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.7%64.9–70.3 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.4%60.2–68.3 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%70.3–82 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19.6–25.7 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%30.3–38.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.2–27.7 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.4%19.1–25.8 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.2%14.7–19.5 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.9%9.5–12.3 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%10–13.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.1%11.1–15 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6%24.3–31.3 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%15.6–20.6 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.9–6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8–10.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 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 Laurel Bay
Is Laurel Bay a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurel Bay is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #31 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Laurel Bay?
CDC estimates 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 36.4%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Laurel Bay?
Beaufort County Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Laurel Bay’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Laurel Bay have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.3–18.6%), 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 Laurel Bay 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 Laurel Bay.
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.