Health · Wendell

Wendell, NC health

Wendell differs from North Carolina on 11 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with heart disease (4.6% vs 6.6%) and fewer adults with COPD (5.1% vs 7.1%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults treating high blood pressure (72.6% vs 76.7%).

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

Wendell’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Wendell is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns and 81% of North Carolina towns.

A-Self-rated healthAPhysical distressBMental distressB+ObesityA-DiabetesA-SmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 81%
Less healthyHealthier
North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 81%
Towns with similar incomes, $72K–$120K (8,546)Healthier than 80%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Wendell could be anywhere from B 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 Wendell 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. Wendell 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 Wendell 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 Wendell adults…

33 of every 100 Wendell adults have high blood pressure
North Carolina: 37 in 100 · better · margin 29.6–36.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Wendell, betterWendell, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults 20.5% Wendell
NC 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.8% Wendell
NC 34.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15% Wendell
NC 14.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.8% Wendell
NC 13.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
NC 80%
68%
Dentist visit
NC 64%
88%
Cholesterol check
NC 88%
64%
Colon screening
NC 66%
79%
Mammogram
NC 79%
73%
Taking BP meds
NC 77%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Wendell 10.3% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)
Mind & connection

How Wendell adults are doing

1 in 3Wendell adults feel lonely
33.6% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call
1 in 4Wendell adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.6% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Wendell adults lack social or emotional support
22.8% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call
1 in 6Wendell adults are in frequent mental distress
16.8% · 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 7
Wendell adults worry about having enough food
13.8% · NC 15.2% · about the same
1 in 8
Wendell adults worry about keeping their housing
12.3% · NC 12.2% · about the same
1 in 13
Wendell adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.7% · NC 8.1% · about the same
1 in 13
Wendell adults lack reliable transportation
7.8% · NC 8.4% · about the same

10.5% of Wendell adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

26.7%

of Wendell adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11%
Thinking or memory14.1%
Hearing5.3%
Errands alone7%
Vision4.3%
Dressing or bathing3.2%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Wendell

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

HNearest ERWakemed, Raleigh CampusRaleigh · 13.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyRex Hospital★★★★★ · 19.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careAdvance Community HealthRaleigh · 13.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
13.4 mi
Wakemed, Raleigh Campus
Raleigh · ★★★★★
ER
13.4 mi
Advance Community Health
5 sites · nearest in Raleigh
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
15.3 mi
Bdihs Wake Forest
Wake Forest · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
19.7 mi
Rex Hospital
Raleigh · ★★★★★
ER
21 mi
Johnston Health
Smithfield · ★★★★★
ER
23.4 mi
Wilson Medical Center
Wilson · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careWendell is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careWendell is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthWendell is not a shortage area

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 Wendell. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Wendell
MeasureWendellMarginNorth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure32.8%29.6–36.1%36.8%better
High cholesterol32.7%29.5–36.2%35.6%about the same
Obesity32.5%27.9–37.4%35.1%about the same
Arthritis21.8%19.4–24.4%26.9%better
Depression24.6%21.6–27.9%24.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)12.5%10.1–15.1%13.9%about the same
Asthma11%9.8–12.4%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)6.3%5.6–6.9%7.9%better
Diabetes9.8%8.5–11.2%12%better
COPD5.1%4.4–5.9%7.1%better
Heart disease4.6%4.1–5.2%6.6%better
Stroke2.8%2.5–3%3.6%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.8%9.8–13.9%13.5%about the same
Binge drink15%12.7–17.6%14.7%about the same
Get no exercise20.5%17.3–23.9%23.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.8%29.7–38%34.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.4%76.3–82.2%80%about the same
Dentist visit67.9%64.9–70.9%63.6%better
Cholesterol check88.1%86.2–89.7%87.5%about the same
Colon screening64.4%60.1–68.6%65.7%about the same
Mammogram79.1%72.7–84.5%78.7%about the same
Taking BP meds72.6%69.5–75.7%76.7%worse
No health insurance10.3%8.5–12.2%10.4%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.6%29.7–37.9%32.5%about the same
Lack emotional support22.8%19.8–26.1%22.5%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.8%14.9–18.9%16.5%about the same
Fair or poor health16.1%13.9–18.4%19%better
Frequent physical distress10.6%9.2–12%12.7%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity13.8%11.7–16.3%15.2%about the same
Housing insecurity12.3%10.5–14.4%12.2%about the same
Utility shut-off threat7.7%6.7–9%8.1%about the same
No reliable transportation7.8%6.8–9%8.4%about the same
Receive SNAP10.5%8.7–12.6%12.3%
Disability
Any disability26.7%23.3–30.3%32%
Walking or climbing stairs11%9.4–12.7%14.2%
Thinking or memory14.1%12.3–16%14.8%
Hearing5.3%4.7–6%7.3%
Vision4.3%3.9–4.8%5.3%
Dressing or bathing3.2%2.8–3.5%4%
Errands alone7%6.1–7.9%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 Wendell 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 Wendell better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Wendell 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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