Cary, NC health
Cary differs from North Carolina on 23 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (6.3% vs 13.9%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (7.6% vs 15.2%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for CaryHow Cary compares with North Carolina
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Everyday needs
Disability
Out of every 100 Cary adults…
Bars show Cary; the black tick is North Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
NC 23.8%
NC 34.2%
NC 14.7%
NC 13.5%
Keeping up with care
Share of Cary adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Cary adults are doing
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5% of Cary adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Living with a disability
of Cary adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: North Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Cary and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are the nearest hospitals and community health centers.
Obesity
Care nearby
Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas. Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Cary. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
All 40 measures for Cary
| Measure | Cary | Margin | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 30.1% | 27.1–33.2% | 36.8% | better |
| High cholesterol | 34.9% | 31.6–38.4% | 35.6% | about the same |
| Obesity | 25.3% | 21.5–29.4% | 35.1% | better |
| Arthritis | 20.6% | 18.4–23% | 26.9% | better |
| Depression | 21.5% | 18.9–24.4% | 24.2% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 6.3% | 5.2–7.7% | 13.9% | better |
| Asthma | 9.2% | 8.2–10.4% | 10.8% | better |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7.3% | 6.7–8% | 7.9% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6% | 7.5–9.9% | 12% | better |
| COPD | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3% | 7.1% | better |
| Heart disease | 4.3% | 3.9–4.8% | 6.6% | better |
| Stroke | 2.3% | 2.1–2.4% | 3.6% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.7% | 6.6–8.8% | 13.5% | better |
| Binge drink | 14.3% | 12.1–16.7% | 14.7% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 15.7% | 13.4–18.3% | 23.8% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.7% | 26.1–33.7% | 34.2% | better |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 80.7% | 77.8–83.4% | 80% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 73.5% | 70.9–76% | 63.6% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 90.5% | 89.2–91.7% | 87.5% | better |
| Colon screening | 67.2% | 63.3–71.2% | 65.7% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 80% | 74.2–85% | 78.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 74.4% | 71.3–77.4% | 76.7% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 6.2% | 5.4–7.1% | 10.4% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 29.7% | 26–33.6% | 32.5% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 19.1% | 16.6–22% | 22.5% | better |
| Frequent mental distress | 12.8% | 11.4–14.4% | 16.5% | better |
| Fair or poor health | 11.5% | 10.1–13% | 19% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 8.4% | 7.4–9.5% | 12.7% | better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 7.6% | 6.6–8.8% | 15.2% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6% | 12.2% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 4.2% | 3.6–4.8% | 8.1% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3% | 8.4% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 5% | 4.3–5.8% | 12.3% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.8% | 18.3–23.5% | 32% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 8.3% | 7.3–9.4% | 14.2% | |
| Thinking or memory | 9.8% | 8.7–11% | 14.8% | |
| Hearing | 5.2% | 4.6–5.8% | 7.3% | |
| Vision | 3% | 2.8–3.3% | 5.3% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 2.2% | 2–2.4% | 4% | |
| Errands alone | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3% | 8.2% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.