Photo: John Rutledge Smith · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, North Charleston is healthier than 68%
North Charleston differs from South Carolina on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Charleston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Charleston
Making ends meet is harder in North Charleston
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.5%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (12.5% vs 8.9%) and housing insecurity (18.4% vs 13.3%) are higher too. 15.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Binge drinking is the habit North Charleston doesn’t win on
19.8% of adults binge drink, vs 15.7% across South Carolina. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in North Charleston
57.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 17.7% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
North Charleston is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, North Charleston is healthier than 47%. Against the 9,580 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 68%. Health Grade ↓
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 North Charleston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind North Charleston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Charleston is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns, #65 of 169 in South Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 64% of U.S. towns); 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). North Charleston’s median household income is $62,956; among the 9,580 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 68%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few South Carolina towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state North Charleston is healthier than 62% of graded towns, against 47% nationally.
Where North Charleston compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 33.2% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 22.7% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 129,245 residents, North Charleston is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.7% of North Charleston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
68 miles of trails across 31 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of North Charleston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Out of every 100 North Charleston adults…
North Charleston runs below SC on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of North Charleston residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near North Charleston
1 hospital and 1 community health center in North Charleston, 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 North Charleston; ≈ 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).
How North Charleston adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, North Charleston runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 North Charleston 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.
North Charleston and the towns around it
North Charleston’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston | B− | 35.2% | 13.2% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Charleston | A | 28.7% | 9.5% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Ladson | C+ | 38.5% | 13.1% | 14% | CDC place |
| Summerville | B− | 35.6% | 13% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| Hanahan | B | 37.1% | 12.1% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Goose Creek | B+ | 36% | 10.9% | 12% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Charleston adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Charleston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Charleston is better than South Carolina on 6 and worse on 12; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside North Charleston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Charleston | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%19.3–22.9 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%12.1–14.5 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%16–19.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%31.5–39 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.9–14.4 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%31–35.7 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.2%30.7–35.6 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.7%20.9–24.5 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.8–10.7 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.4–6.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–5.8 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.5%6–7.1 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.4–3.9 | 3.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.7%15.2–20.3 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%12.8–15.8 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.8%24.1–29.5 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.8%17.4–22.2 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%34.2–41.1 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.3%13.7–16.9 | 11.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%75.3–80.2 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.6%54.9–60.1 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%82.3–85.5 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.5%74.3–78.5 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.6%63.3–69.7 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%70.7–80.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.5%19.2–23.7 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.5%31.4–37.7 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.9%24.4–29.6 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.5%21.3–25.8 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.4%16.6–20.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.5%11.2–13.8 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.7–12.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.7%14.1–17.4 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%27.9–33.1 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%13.1–15.7 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.6–17.4 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.9–5.9 | 7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%6–6.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.7–10.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.4–5 | 4.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 North Charleston
Is North Charleston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Charleston is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #65 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 North Charleston?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.5% and 39%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Charleston?
Trident Medical Center in Charleston, 4.2 miles in a straight line from North Charleston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Charleston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.7–16.9%), 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 North Charleston 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 North Charleston.
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.