Tombee Plantation · Photo: Gwringle · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Port Royal is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Port Royal differs from South Carolina on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Port Royal. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Port Royal
Binge drinking is the habit Port Royal doesn’t win on
23.7% of adults binge drink, vs 15.7% across South Carolina, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Port Royal
Port Royal runs below South Carolina on nine chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (7.7% vs 13.9%), heart disease (3.9% vs 6.8%) and cancer (5% vs 8.6%). A young population is part of it: only 9% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%). Conditions ↓
Port Royal is an active town
Only 18.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
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 Port Royal’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Port Royal’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Royal is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #14 of 169 in South Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Port Royal’s median household income is $74,870; among the 10,849 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
9.5 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Port Royal adults…
Port Royal runs below SC on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Port Royal 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 Port Royal
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Port Royal, 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 Port Royal; ≈ 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 Port Royal adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Port Royal adults are doing
About the same as South Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Port Royal 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.
9.1% of Port Royal adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Port Royal and the towns around it
Port Royal has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Royal | A | 28.8% | 7.7% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Burton | B− | 36.2% | 14.4% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Shell Point | A− | 31% | 11.3% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Beaufort | A− | 30.9% | 11.3% | 11.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Port Royal adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Port Royal
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Port Royal is better than South Carolina on 14 and worse on 4; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Port Royal’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Port Royal | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%12.5–16.1 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.7%9.5–12 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16–20.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.8%24.6–33 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25%22.6–27.4 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 27.9%25.4–30.4 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 16.9%15.2–18.5 | 28.5% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.6–5.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.5 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.8–13 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8.9–12 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.6%16–21.4 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 23.7%20.4–27.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%29.4–37.8 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.8%11.7–15.7 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.1%70.7–77.5 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.8%58.5–64.8 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.3%74.6–80 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.2%66.8–71.6 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.5%62.3–70.3 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%71.8–83.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.7–23.2 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%29.1–37.2 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.2–26.5 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%15.3–20.2 | 17.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%11.5–15 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.2–9.4 | 8.9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.7%8.5–11 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%7.7–10.5 | 10.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.5%23.4–29.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%7.8–10 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%14.3–18.1 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.1–8.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 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 Port Royal
Is Port Royal a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Royal is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #14 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 Port Royal?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.6% and 33%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Port Royal?
Beaufort County Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, 4.4 miles in a straight line from Port Royal’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Port Royal have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.7–15.7%), 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 Port Royal 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 Port Royal.
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.