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Cary, NC Health Statistics

25.3% of adults have obesity and 8.6% have diabetes, among about 174,721 residents.

Obesity
25.3%
#755 of 762 · -8.0 pts
Diabetes
8.6%
#736 of 762 · -3.5 pts
Smoking
7.7%
-5.1 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
6.2%
-4.9 pts

How it compares

Largest differences from the U.S. average

Higher than the U.S.

  • No measure is more than 10% above the U.S. rate.

Lower than the U.S.

  • Received SNAP5.0% vs 12.8%
  • Food insecurity7.6% vs 15.9%
  • Tooth loss (65+)6.3% vs 12.6%

All health measures

Cary, NC compared with North Carolina and the U.S.

Health outcomes

Adults withHereNCU.S.
Obesity25.3%-8.0 pts35.1%33.3%
Diagnosed diabetes8.6%-3.5 pts12.0%12.1%
High blood pressure30.1%-4.3 pts36.7%34.4%
High cholesterol (among those screened)34.9%-1.5 pts35.6%36.4%
Coronary heart disease4.3%-2.0 pts6.5%6.3%
Stroke2.3%-1.1 pts3.6%3.4%
Current asthma9.2%-1.0 pts10.8%10.2%
COPD3.9%-2.6 pts7.1%6.5%
Cancer (excluding skin cancer)7.3%about the same7.9%7.7%
Arthritis20.6%-4.6 pts26.9%25.2%
Depression21.5%about the same24.2%21.6%
All teeth lost (age 65+)6.3%-6.3 pts13.9%12.6%

Health behaviors

Adults withHereNCU.S.
Current smoking7.7%-5.1 pts13.5%12.8%
Binge drinking14.3%-1.6 pts14.7%15.9%
No leisure-time physical activity15.7%-9.5 pts23.8%25.2%
Short sleep (under 7 hours)29.7%-6.4 pts34.3%36.1%

Prevention

Adults withHereNCU.S.
No health insurance (age 18 to 64)6.2%-4.9 pts10.4%11.1%
Routine checkup in the past year80.7%+3.9 pts80.0%76.8%
Dental visit in the past year73.5%+11.8 pts63.5%61.7%
Taking blood pressure medicine (if high)74.4%-1.1 pts76.6%75.5%
Cholesterol screening90.5%+4.3 pts87.5%86.2%
Colorectal cancer screening (age 45 to 75)67.2%+3.5 pts65.6%63.7%
Mammogram in the past 2 years (women 50 to 74)80.0%+3.9 pts78.7%76.1%

Health status

Adults withHereNCU.S.
Fair or poor general health11.5%-8.3 pts19.0%19.8%
Frequent mental distress12.8%-3.7 pts16.5%16.5%
Frequent physical distress8.4%-4.9 pts12.6%13.3%

Disability

Adults withHereNCU.S.
Any disability20.8%-9.6 pts32.0%30.4%
Mobility disability8.3%-5.5 pts14.2%13.8%
Cognitive disability9.8%-4.5 pts14.9%14.3%
Hearing disability5.2%-1.6 pts7.3%6.8%
Vision disability3.0%-2.3 pts5.3%5.3%
Self-care disability2.2%-1.6 pts4.0%3.8%
Independent living disability4.7%-3.4 pts8.2%8.1%

Social needs

Adults withHereNCU.S.
Lack of social and emotional support19.1%-5.5 pts22.6%24.6%
Food insecurity in the past year7.6%-8.3 pts15.2%15.9%
Received SNAP (food stamps) in the past year5.0%-7.8 pts12.4%12.8%
Housing insecurity in the past year6.6%-6.4 pts12.2%13.0%
Threat of utility shutoff in the past year4.2%-3.8 pts8.2%8.0%
Lack of reliable transportation4.7%-3.8 pts8.4%8.5%

Share of adults (18 and older unless noted), crude prevalence. Differences are compared with the U.S.; green is better than the national rate, red is worse. These are model-based estimates, not counts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the obesity rate in Cary, NC?
About 25.3% of adults in Cary, NC have obesity, compared with 35.1% in North Carolina and 33.3% nationwide. That ranks #755 of 762 cities and towns in North Carolina.
How common is diabetes in Cary, NC?
About 8.6% of adults have diagnosed diabetes (North Carolina 12.0%, U.S. 12.1%).
What share of adults smoke in Cary, NC?
About 7.7% of adults currently smoke cigarettes, compared with 12.8% nationwide.
How accurate are these numbers?
They are CDC model-based estimates built from national survey data and local population data, not counts from local health records. Small areas have wider margins of error.

Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health · Last updated 12/01/2025 · 2025 release. Share of adults, crude prevalence.