Health · Columbia

Columbia, NC health

Columbia differs from North Carolina on 19 of 40 measures. It has fewer binge drinkers (11.7% vs 14.7%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (80.8% vs 76.7%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing food insecurity (25.6% vs 15.2%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Columbia
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 759 people are less certain, so we show Columbia's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Columbia 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

Out of every 100 Columbia adults…

46 of every 100 Columbia adults have high blood pressure
North Carolina: 37 in 100 · worse · margin 41.3–50.6%

Bars show Columbia; the black tick is North Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Columbia, betterColumbia, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults 33.8% Columbia
NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.7% Columbia
NC 34.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 11.7% Columbia
NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17.2% Columbia
NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Columbia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.

82%
Yearly checkup
NC 80%
56%
Dentist visit
NC 64%
87%
Cholesterol check
NC 88%
67%
Colon screening
NC 66%
80%
Mammogram
NC 79%
81%
Taking BP meds
NC 77%
1 in 6
working-age adults has no health insurance
Columbia 17.2% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Columbia adults are doing

1 in 3Columbia adults feel lonely
34.4% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Columbia adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.1% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Columbia adults lack social or emotional support
26.6% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call
1 in 6Columbia adults are in frequent mental distress
17.1% · North Carolina 16.5% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 4
Columbia adults worry about having enough food
25.6% · NC 15.2% · worse
1 in 5
Columbia adults worry about keeping their housing
18.8% · NC 12.2% · worse
1 in 8
Columbia adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
12.7% · NC 8.1% · worse
1 in 8
Columbia adults lack reliable transportation
12.5% · NC 8.4% · worse

22.5% of Columbia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

40.7%

of Columbia adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs21.8%
Thinking or memory17.7%
Hearing8.7%
Errands alone11.5%
Vision8.9%
Dressing or bathing6.5%

Black tick: North Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Columbia

Columbia and the towns around it

Care nearby

Vidant Chowan HospitalEdenton · 23 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Sentara Albemarle Medical CenterElizabeth City · 25.3 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Washington County HospPlymouth · 27.7 mi · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
The Outer Banks HospitalNags Head · 34.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · rural critical access DirectionsMedicare profile
Creswell Primary CareCreswell · 9.8 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
Gateway Community Health Centers, Inc. Elizabeth City SiteElizabeth City · 27.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
! Primary careColumbia's county is a federal shortage area.Tyrrell County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careColumbia's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Tyrrell County · need score 12 of 25
! Mental healthColumbia's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Tyrrell County · need score 11 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Columbia. 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 Columbia
MeasureColumbiaMarginNorth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure45.9%41.3–50.6%36.8%worse
High cholesterol38.9%34.2–43.7%35.6%about the same
Obesity43.2%34–52.8%35.1%about the same
Arthritis32.3%28.6–36%26.9%worse
Depression22.1%18.6–26%24.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)20.3%16.5–24.2%13.9%worse
Asthma11.5%10.1–13%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.7%6.9–8.6%7.9%about the same
Diabetes18.2%15.8–20.7%12%worse
COPD9.8%8.4–11.4%7.1%worse
Heart disease8.9%7.9–10%6.6%worse
Stroke5.7%5.1–6.4%3.6%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.2%14.5–20.3%13.5%worse
Binge drink11.7%9.4–14.4%14.7%better
Get no exercise33.8%28.5–39.7%23.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours37.7%30.4–45.2%34.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.5%78.2–84.7%80%about the same
Dentist visit55.6%51.5–59.5%63.6%worse
Cholesterol check87.3%85.3–89.2%87.5%about the same
Colon screening66.7%60.9–71.7%65.7%about the same
Mammogram80.2%73–86%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds80.8%78.2–83.2%76.7%better
No health insurance17.2%14–20.5%10.4%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.4%28.8–40.1%32.5%about the same
Lack emotional support26.6%22.4–31%22.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress17.1%15–19.5%16.5%about the same
Fair or poor health28%24.3–32.3%19%worse
Frequent physical distress16.2%14.2–18.5%12.7%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity25.6%21.6–30.1%15.2%worse
Housing insecurity18.8%15.9–21.9%12.2%worse
Utility shut-off threat12.7%10.9–14.7%8.1%worse
No reliable transportation12.5%10.7–14.5%8.4%worse
Receive SNAP22.5%18.8–26.6%12.3%
Disability
Any disability40.7%35.7–46.3%32%
Walking or climbing stairs21.8%18.9–24.9%14.2%
Thinking or memory17.7%15.4–20.3%14.8%
Hearing8.7%7.6–9.8%7.3%
Vision8.9%7.8–10.1%5.3%
Dressing or bathing6.5%5.7–7.5%4%
Errands alone11.5%10–13.2%8.2%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Columbia door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the North Carolina figure falls inside it, we don't call Columbia better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Columbia directly, so these are its own figures.

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.

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North Carolina · NC
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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01