Health · Neuse Forest

Neuse Forest, NC health

Neuse Forest differs from North Carolina on 10 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (9.4% vs 15.2%) and fewer adults facing housing insecurity (8.2% vs 12.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10% vs 7.9%).

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

Neuse Forest’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Neuse Forest is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns and 77% of North Carolina towns.

A-Self-rated healthA-Physical distressA-Mental distressB+ObesityB+DiabetesB+SmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 79%
Less healthyHealthier
North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 77%
Towns with similar incomes, $63K–$106K (9,533)Healthier than 86%

About what its income would suggest. Neuse Forest does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Neuse Forest could be anywhere from C+ to A+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in North Carolina ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Neuse Forest with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Neuse Forest uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Neuse Forest 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 Neuse Forest adults…

38 of every 100 Neuse Forest adults have high blood pressure
North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.3–42.3%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Neuse Forest, betterNeuse Forest, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults 20.6% Neuse Forest
NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.1% Neuse Forest
NC 34.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.3% Neuse Forest
NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.9% Neuse Forest
NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

82%
Yearly checkup
NC 80%
67%
Dentist visit
NC 64%
90%
Cholesterol check
NC 88%
73%
Colon screening
NC 66%
76%
Mammogram
NC 79%
79%
Taking BP meds
NC 77%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Neuse Forest 7.3% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Neuse Forest adults are doing

1 in 3Neuse Forest adults feel lonely
31.1% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Neuse Forest adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.2% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Neuse Forest adults lack social or emotional support
19.9% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call
1 in 7Neuse Forest adults are in frequent mental distress
15.1% · 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 11
Neuse Forest adults worry about having enough food
9.4% · NC 15.2% · better
1 in 12
Neuse Forest adults worry about keeping their housing
8.2% · NC 12.2% · better
1 in 18
Neuse Forest adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.5% · NC 8.1% · better
1 in 18
Neuse Forest adults lack reliable transportation
5.7% · NC 8.4% · better

7% of Neuse Forest adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs12.9%
Thinking or memory12.7%
Hearing7.9%
Errands alone6.8%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.2%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Neuse Forest

No hospital or community health center in Neuse Forest itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCarolina East Medical CenterNew Bern · 12.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCarteret General Hospital★★★★★ · 19.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCraven County GovernmentHavelock · 3.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3.9 mi
Craven County Government
2 sites · nearest in Havelock
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
11.4 mi
Goshen Medical Center
4 sites · nearest in New Bern
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
12.3 mi
Carolina East Medical Center
New Bern · ★★★★★
ER
19.7 mi
Carteret General Hospital
Morehead City · ★★★★★
ER
28.5 mi
Onslow Memorial Hospital
Jacksonville · ★★★★★
ER
31.1 mi
Nmc Camp Lejeune
Camp Lejeune · not rated
ER
! Primary careNeuse Forest's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Craven County · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careNeuse Forest's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Craven County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthNeuse Forest's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Craven County · need score 17 of 25

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 Neuse Forest. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Neuse Forest
MeasureNeuse ForestMarginNorth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure37.6%33.3–42.3%36.8%about the same
High cholesterol37.2%32.9–42%35.6%about the same
Obesity34.1%26.9–42.3%35.1%about the same
Arthritis29.7%26.2–33.6%26.9%about the same
Depression24.2%20.6–28.4%24.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)11.7%9.3–14.5%13.9%about the same
Asthma10.4%9.1–11.8%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10%8.9–11.1%7.9%worse
Diabetes10.9%9.2–12.8%12%about the same
COPD6.7%5.5–8%7.1%about the same
Heart disease6.7%5.8–7.7%6.6%about the same
Stroke3.4%3–3.9%3.6%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.9%9.5–14.7%13.5%about the same
Binge drink15.3%12.5–18.5%14.7%about the same
Get no exercise20.6%16.4–25.2%23.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours31.1%25.1–37.7%34.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.6%78.3–84.7%80%about the same
Dentist visit67.4%63.7–70.9%63.6%better
Cholesterol check90.3%88.6–91.8%87.5%better
Colon screening72.8%67.9–77.3%65.7%better
Mammogram76.2%68.1–83%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds79%75.8–81.9%76.7%about the same
No health insurance7.3%5.7–9.1%10.4%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.1%25.9–36.5%32.5%about the same
Lack emotional support19.9%16.4–23.6%22.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress15.1%13–17.3%16.5%about the same
Fair or poor health15.9%13.2–18.9%19%better
Frequent physical distress12.2%10.3–14.1%12.7%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity9.4%7.5–11.5%15.2%better
Housing insecurity8.2%6.7–9.9%12.2%better
Utility shut-off threat5.5%4.5–6.5%8.1%better
No reliable transportation5.7%4.8–6.7%8.4%better
Receive SNAP7%5.4–8.6%12.3%
Disability
Any disability29.6%25–34.6%32%
Walking or climbing stairs12.9%10.7–15.4%14.2%
Thinking or memory12.7%10.8–14.9%14.8%
Hearing7.9%6.8–9%7.3%
Vision4.1%3.5–4.7%5.3%
Dressing or bathing3.2%2.8–3.7%4%
Errands alone6.8%5.7–7.9%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 Neuse Forest 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 Neuse Forest better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Neuse Forest 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01