Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, North Shore is healthier than 40%
North Shore differs from Virginia on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Shore. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Shore
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in North Shore
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (14.9%), about twice the Virginia rate. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10%), vs 6.1% across Virginia. Arthritis is also above the state: 39.6%, vs 26.2% across Virginia. In all, North Shore runs above Virginia on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 45% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, North Shore’s lead shrinks
North Shore is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, but 40% of the 7,144 towns with similar household incomes ($82K–$137K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in North Shore, and more people treating it
45.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Virginia 35.4%), but 85.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
North Shore keeps up with checkups
It beats Virginia on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.3% vs 79.2%) and dentist visits (77.5% vs 67.9%). Checkups ↓
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 Virginia figure falls outside North Shore’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind North Shore’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Shore is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, #135 of 253 in Virginia. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 11%).
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 Shore’s median household income is $109,951; among the 7,144 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$137K), it’s healthier than 40%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state North Shore is healthier than 47% of graded towns, against 66% nationally.
Out of every 100 North Shore adults…
North Shore runs below VA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
North Shore is an older town: 45% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in North Shore as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Shore adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Care in and near North Shore
No hospital or community health center in North Shore 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 Shore; ≈ 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 Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
5.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How North Shore adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, North Shore does better than Virginia.
1 in 4 North Shore 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.
5.8% of North Shore adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
North Shore and the towns around it
North Shore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Shore | B+ | 31.3% | 15.8% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Westlake Corner | B | 30.6% | 15.5% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Union Hall | B | 32.5% | 16.2% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Penhook | B− | 33.3% | 17.2% | 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 Shore adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Shore
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Shore is better than Virginia on 16 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside North Shore’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Shore | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.8%14.9–21.1 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.5–16.9 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.8–14.4 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.3%24.4–38.5 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.8%13.5–18.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.6%40.6–50.3 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 49.6%44.6–54.4 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.6%35.2–43.9 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9–11.6 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 14.9%13.5–16.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10%8.8–11.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%7.4–10.7 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4–5.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.2%5.7–8.8 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%8.5–13.5 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.4%19–28.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11.5%9.4–13.9 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%24.5–35.4 | 36% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.2–7.2 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.3%82.5–87.7 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.5%74.8–80.2 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.1%91.9–94.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.9%83.1–88.2 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 78.6%74.7–82.2 | 67.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%71.3–83.9 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18–24.9 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.5%22.3–31.7 | 33.8% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 15.9%13.3–19.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.1%5.5–9 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.5%4.4–6.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.7%3.1–4.5 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.4%3.7–5.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.8%4.4–7.5 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.9%28.3–38 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%14.6–20.4 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.4–13 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.1–8.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.1–4.3 | 3.5% | 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 Virginia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in North Shore
Is North Shore a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Shore is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #135 of 253 in Virginia. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Shore?
CDC estimates 31.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.4% and 38.5%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Shore?
Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital in Rocky Mount, 14.9 miles in a straight line from North Shore’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Shore have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–7.2%), against 8.7% across Virginia.
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 Shore 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 Shore.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Virginia 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.