Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Little River is healthier than 72%
Little River differs from South Carolina on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Little River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Little River
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Little River
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (14.2%), vs 8.6% across South Carolina. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 6.8% across South Carolina. Arthritis is also above the state: 38.4%, vs 28.5% across South Carolina. In all, Little River runs above South Carolina on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 42% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Little River is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Little River is healthier than 53%. Against the 10,065 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 72%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Little River, and more people treating it
45.8% of adults have high blood pressure (South Carolina 38.5%), but 87% of them take medicine for it, vs 80.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Little River keeps up with checkups
It beats South Carolina on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.3% vs 80.6%) and cholesterol checks (91.4% vs 86.9%). 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 South Carolina figure falls outside Little River’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Little River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Little River is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #56 of 169 in South Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 84% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Little River’s median household income is $65,786; among the 10,065 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 72%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Little River adults…
Little River runs below SC on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Little River is an older town: 42% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Little River as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Little River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Care in and near Little River
1 community health center in Little River, 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 Little River; ≈ 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.
How Little River adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Little River does better than South Carolina.
1 in 4 Little River 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.
6% of Little River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Little River and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little River | B− | 30.5% | 15.9% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| North Myrtle Beach | B | 29.7% | 15.9% | 11.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Little River adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Little River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Little River is better than South Carolina on 15 and worse on 9; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Little River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Little River | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.1%17.5–22.8 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.4–18.3 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13.1–16.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.5%26.8–34.5 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 15.9%14–17.9 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.8%42.6–48.9 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.7%44.5–50.8 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.4%35.4–41.3 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9%8–10.1 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 14.2%13–15.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.4–10.6 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%8.4–11.2 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.8–11.2 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.1%11–15.1 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.5%21.1–27.9 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.8%11–14.7 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%28.7–35.7 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%8.3–11.7 | 11.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.3%83.1–87.2 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.7%62.8–68.4 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.4%90.2–92.5 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 87%85.1–88.8 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.3%71.9–78.3 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%74.3–83.5 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%18.2–23.1 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.3%24.1–30.7 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.3%17.7–23.2 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.3%9.4–13.3 | 17.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.8–9.3 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6%4.9–7.3 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.1%29.6–36.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.3%15.9–20.7 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.5%10.9–14 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.9–11.3 | 7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.2–9.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.7–4.8 | 4.3% | 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 South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Little River
Is Little River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Little River is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #56 of 169 in South Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Little River?
CDC estimates 30.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.8% and 34.5%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Little River?
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, 13.3 miles in a straight line from Little River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Little River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–11.7%), 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 Little River more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Little River.
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.