Fort Moultrie Quartermaster and Support Facilities Historic District · Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Sullivan's Island is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Sullivan's Island differs from South Carolina on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 25 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sullivan's Island. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sullivan's Island
Sullivan's Island is older than South Carolina, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Sullivan's Island runs below South Carolina on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.4% vs 7.5%), stroke (2.7% vs 3.9%) and obesity (24.8% vs 35.8%). That’s despite an older population: 28% of residents are 65 or older (South Carolina 19%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Sullivan's Island doesn’t win on
21.1% of adults binge drink, vs 15.7% across South Carolina, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Sullivan's Island is an active town
Only 13.2% 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 Sullivan's Island’s likely range.
What’s behind Sullivan's Island’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sullivan's Island is among the healthiest U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 83%.
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). Sullivan's Island’s median household income is $192,813; among the 1,062 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($145K–$241K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Sullivan's Island adults…
Sullivan's Island runs below SC on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Sullivan's Island is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Sullivan's Island as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
3.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Sullivan's Island
No hospital or community health center in Sullivan's Island 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 Sullivan's Island; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sullivan's Island adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Sullivan's Island adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Sullivan's Island does better than South Carolina.
1 in 4 Sullivan's Island 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.
1.9% of Sullivan's Island adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Sullivan's Island and the towns around it
Sullivan's Island 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan's Island | A+ | 24.8% | 9.8% | 5.7% | CDC place |
| Mount Pleasant | A+ | 26% | 9.1% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Isle of Palms | A+ | 24.6% | 10.8% | 6.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sullivan's Island adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sullivan's Island
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sullivan's Island is better than South Carolina on 25 and worse on 2; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Sullivan's Island’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sullivan's Island | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 9.9%8.3–12.3 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.2%7.9–10.9 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%8.8–11.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.8%21.1–28.7 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.5–11.3 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.9%28.9–35 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.1%37.8–44.3 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%25.4–30.8 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 9.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.5%11.3–13.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%3.6–5.6 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.3–3.1 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 3.3%2.6–4 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.7%4.3–7.7 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 13.2%10.8–16.2 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 21.1%18.2–23.9 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 23.1%20–26.4 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.3%3.3–6 | 11.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.8%80.2–85 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 82.1%80–84 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.9%91.6–93.9 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83%80.3–85.4 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 79.2%76–82.1 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.6%76.2–86.3 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.6%17.1–22.3 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 23.4%20.4–26.9 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 14.4%12.2–17 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 4.2%3.1–5.9 | 17.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 3.8%3–5 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.8%2.2–3.5 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3%2.4–3.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 1.9%1.3–2.9 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 19.6%16.8–22.9 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.1%7.6–11.1 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.4%6.2–9 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.4–7 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.6%2.2–3.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.2%3.5–5.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.1%1.8–2.6 | 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 Sullivan's Island
Is Sullivan's Island a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sullivan's Island is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sullivan's Island?
CDC estimates 24.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.1% and 28.7%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sullivan's Island?
Novant Health East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant, 3.5 miles in a straight line from Sullivan's Island’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sullivan's Island have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.3–6%), 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 Sullivan's Island more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sullivan's Island.
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.