On CDC estimates, Shell Point is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Shell Point differs from South Carolina on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shell Point. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shell Point
Binge drinking is the habit Shell Point doesn’t win on
19.3% of adults binge drink, vs 15.7% across South Carolina, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Shell Point is older than South Carolina, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Shell Point runs below South Carolina on diabetes (11.3% vs 13.9%) and COPD (6.3% vs 7.5%). That’s despite an older population: 29% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%). Conditions ↓
Shell Point is short on primary care and mental health care
Shell Point’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Shell Point is an active town
Only 19.5% 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 Shell Point’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Shell Point’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shell Point is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 86% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 62%.
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). Shell Point’s median household income is $81,630; among the 10,658 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Shell Point adults…
Shell Point runs below SC on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Shell Point is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Many conditions rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Shell Point as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Shell Point
No hospital or community health center in Shell Point 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 Shell Point; ≈ 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 Shell Point adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Shell Point adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Shell Point does better than South Carolina.
3 in 10 Shell Point 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.
6.9% of Shell Point adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Shell Point and the towns around it
Shell Point’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Point | A− | 31% | 11.3% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Port Royal | A | 28.8% | 7.7% | 10.4% | 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 Shell Point adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shell Point
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shell Point is better than South Carolina on 16 and worse on 1; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Shell Point’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shell Point | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%12.8–16.9 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.8–14 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13–16.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31%26.7–35.4 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.8–12.8 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%31.3–37.4 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.2%34–40.3 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.4%23.9–28.9 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.9%7.9–10 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8–9.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.3–6.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.3%5.4–7.2 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.7 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.2%8.3–12.3 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3%9.4–13.3 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.5–22.4 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.3%16.5–22.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%28.3–36.4 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.9%9–12.8 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%77–82.7 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.5%64.4–70.3 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.7–89.2 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%77.6–82.6 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.6%64.5–72.3 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%73–83.7 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.3%16.7–22 | 22.3% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 27.8%24.1–31.2 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%17.8–23.6 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.2–15.8 | 17.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9–12.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%5.8–7.9 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%6–7.9 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.9%5.6–8.4 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.2%23.1–29.4 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.5–13.8 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%11–14.4 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–3.9 | 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 Shell Point
Is Shell Point a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shell Point is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shell Point?
CDC estimates 31% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 35.4%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shell Point?
Beaufort County Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, 4.8 miles in a straight line from Shell Point’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shell Point have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–12.8%), 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 Shell Point 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 Shell Point.
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.