Gates County Health Data
Gates County, North Carolina
Health Score
48/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
74.6 yr
Uninsured Rate
9.2%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
74.6 yr
State avg 74.4 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
9.2%
State avg 12.5%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
N/A
per 100K population
Mental Health Providers
N/A
per 100K population
Data Story
About Health in Gates County, North Carolina
Gates approaches national health benchmarks closely
At 74.6 years, Gates County's life expectancy is just 1.5 years below the U.S. average of 76.1 years, indicating reasonably competitive health outcomes for a rural county. Nearly 1 in 5 residents (18.9%) report poor or fair health, modestly above national averages. The county demonstrates solid health performance despite limited resources.
Slightly above state average in life expectancy
Gates' 74.6-year life expectancy exceeds North Carolina's state average of 74.4 years by two months, placing it in the mid-range of county rankings. The 18.9% poor/fair health rate tracks slightly above state norms, suggesting some underlying health challenges. Gates performs near the state median across key health measures.
Competitive with rural northeastern peers
Gates' 74.6-year life expectancy matches well against neighboring Chowan (74.5 years) and Perquimans (74.8 years), all clustered around state averages in this rural northeast region. The 18.9% poor/fair health rate is consistent with regional patterns for economically modest rural areas. Gates demonstrates health outcomes typical of its northeastern peer group.
Data gaps reflect rural healthcare challenges
Gates County's provider data is currently unavailable, limiting our visibility into primary care and mental health capacity—a gap that itself reflects the rural healthcare access challenges the county faces. The uninsured rate of 9.2% is the lowest among comparison counties, suggesting strong coverage despite limited documented providers. Residents likely depend on regional medical centers in neighboring counties for specialized care.
Build on strong coverage with annual review
Gates has already achieved a notably low uninsured rate of 9.2%, well below state and national averages—a real success story in rural healthcare access. During enrollment periods, existing coverage holders should review their plans on healthcare.gov to ensure continued protection. Maintaining this strong coverage rate is essential for sustaining Gates' solid health outcomes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Health data sourced from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Data is informational only. Not medical or health advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.