Photo: Melikamp · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, North Myrtle Beach is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns
North Myrtle Beach differs from South Carolina on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Myrtle Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Myrtle Beach
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in North Myrtle Beach
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (15.2%), 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: 39.2%, vs 28.5% across South Carolina. In all, North Myrtle Beach 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 ↓
North Myrtle Beach keeps up with checkups
It beats South Carolina on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (86.3% vs 80.6%) and dentist visits (71% vs 63.1%). Checkups ↓
North Myrtle Beach adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (25.1% vs 31.7%), frequent mental distress (13.1% vs 16.4%), lack of emotional support (18.3% vs 23.6%) and depression (19.6% 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 North Myrtle Beach’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind North Myrtle Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Myrtle Beach is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, #40 of 169 in South Carolina. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% 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). North Myrtle Beach’s median household income is $72,722; among the 10,709 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 77%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 North Myrtle Beach adults…
North Myrtle Beach runs below SC on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
North Myrtle Beach 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 North Myrtle Beach as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Myrtle Beach adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How North Myrtle Beach adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, North Myrtle Beach does better than South Carolina.
1 in 4 North Myrtle Beach 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 North Myrtle Beach
No hospital or community health center in North Myrtle Beach 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 North Myrtle Beach; ≈ 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.
14 miles of trails across 12 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.
4.9% of North Myrtle Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
North Myrtle Beach and the towns around it
North Myrtle Beach has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Myrtle Beach | B | 29.7% | 15.9% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Little River | B− | 30.5% | 15.9% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Myrtle Beach | C | 34.7% | 16.4% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Atlantic Beach | — | — | — | — | |
| Briarcliffe Acres | — | — | — | — |
Atlantic Beach and Briarcliffe Acres: 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 North Myrtle Beach adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Myrtle Beach
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Myrtle Beach is better than South Carolina on 19 and worse on 8; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside North Myrtle Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Myrtle Beach | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%16.3–21 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.8–17.4 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.7–14.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.7%26–33.7 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 15.9%14.1–17.9 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 46.7%43.6–49.9 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 49.4%46.2–52.6 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.2%36.3–42.2 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 8.6%7.7–9.6 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 15.2%14.1–16.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.6%7.1–10.2 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9.9–13.6 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.5%19.6–25.7 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 12.4%10.7–14.4 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30%26.6–33.3 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%7.2–9.9 | 11.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 86.3%84.4–88.2 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71%68.4–73.5 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.8%91.8–93.7 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 87.9%86–89.6 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77%73.7–79.9 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.1%74.1–83.3 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.6%17.3–22.1 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 25.1%22.2–28.3 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.3%15.9–20.9 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.3%7.9–11 | 17.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.5%5.5–7.6 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.7–5 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.9%4–5.9 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.9%27.7–34.4 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%15.2–19.5 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.5–8.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.5 | 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 North Myrtle Beach
Is North Myrtle Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Myrtle Beach is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #40 of 169 in South Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 77%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Myrtle Beach?
CDC estimates 29.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 26% and 33.7%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Myrtle Beach?
Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, 7.8 miles in a straight line from North Myrtle Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Myrtle Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–9.9%), 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 Myrtle Beach more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in North Myrtle Beach.
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.