A recent survey by the federal government has found that residents of three Greater Outer Banks counties are the most physically active in North Carolina.
Northwell Health partnered with Stacker to analyze data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual PLACES report, released in 2023, to see which counties had the most physically active adults.
The survey, administered in 2021, asked respondents if they had exercised for leisure in the past month. The data also measured the share of adults who reported low or no physical activity.
According to the survey, Dare County ranked third in the state with 82.3% of adults reporting they took part in some type of physical activity. Currituck County ranked 7th at 81.1%, and Camden County ranked 17th at 79.6%.
The most active counties in North Carolina are listed below. Counties are ranked by the share of adults who reported any level of leisure physical activity, including running, golf, or gardening. In the event of a tie, the overall population was used.
#25. Madison County
– Total population: 21,502
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.2%
#24. Lincoln County
– Total population: 89,670
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.2%
#23. Haywood County
– Total population: 62,476
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.3%
#22. Clay County
– Total population: 11,309
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.4%
#21. Guilford County
– Total population: 542,410
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.7%
#20. Durham County
– Total population: 326,126
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.8%
#19. Watauga, North Carolina
– Total population: 54,234
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.9%
#18. Cabarrus County
– Total population: 231,278
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 78.9%
#17. Camden County
– Total population: 10,835
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 79.6%
#16. Transylvania County
– Total population: 33,165
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 79.7%
#15. Henderson County
– Total population: 116,829
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 79.9%
#14. Iredell County
– Total population: 191,968
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 79.9%
#13. Mecklenburg County
– Total population: 1,122,276
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 80.2%
#12. Carteret County
– Total population: 68,541
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 80.6%
#11. Union County
– Total population: 243,648
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 80.6%
#10. Polk County
– Total population: 19,656
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 80.7%
#9. Chatham County
– Total population: 77,889
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 80.7%
#8. Moore County
– Total population: 102,763
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 80.7%
#7. Currituck County
– Total population: 29,653
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 81.1%
#6. New Hanover County
– Total population: 229,018
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 81.1%
#5. Brunswick County
– Total population: 144,215
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 81.3%
#4. Buncombe County
– Total population: 271,534
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 82.0%
#3. Dare County
– Total population: 37,826
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 82.3%
#2. Orange County
– Total population: 148,884
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 82.5%
#1. Wake County
– Total population: 1,150,204
– Share of adults reporting any physical activity: 84.5%
To see how North Carolina compares to the rest of the country, the most physically active counties in the U.S. can be found here.
How physical activity varies across the country
Income is a potent predictor of the time a person devotes to physical exercise. People with lower incomes can find it hard to exercise because safe public spaces may not be available, gym membership and workout equipment are expensive, and they may have less flexible work schedules.
A 2018 research paper found that among adolescents and young adults, people in families with higher incomes, as well as men and white people, were more likely than others to engage in physical activity.
The Peter G. Peterson Foundation reported that, in 2021, households in Northeastern and Western states earned, on average, $7,000 to $15,000 more a year than households in the Midwest and South, respectively. People who live in those regions are more likely to report higher rates of physical activity.
This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Shakhzod Yuldoshboev, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states. This story originally appeared on Northwell Health and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.