Medicare in Brunswick County by the numbers
| Brunswick County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 55,001 | 1,908,489 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 34.4% | 17.6% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 69,077 | 2,336,840 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 30,718 | 1,353,169 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 44.5% | 57.9% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Brunswick County ranks 6th of 100 North Carolina counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 55,001 people in that age group, or 34.4% of residents (statewide: 17.6%). The 16,939 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. Among residents 65 and older, 65% are 65 to 74, 30% are 75 to 84 and 6% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). About 44.5% of people with Medicare in Brunswick County are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is lower than the North Carolina average of 57.9%. Averages cannot choose a plan for you. Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with a Medigap plan each suit different people, depending on doctors, medicines and how you prefer to handle costs, and we compare both at your ZIP code.
Who has Medicare in Brunswick County
Brunswick County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 61,859 Medicare beneficiaries in Brunswick County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the North Carolina average of 73. About 5% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 13%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Brunswick County, CMS reported about 469 emergency room visits and 160 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is lower than the state average for emergency visits (572) and lower than it for hospital stays (210). About 6% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Insurers choose which counties to serve each year, which means the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can pick in Brunswick County can be different from the ones offered next door. We are not based in Brunswick County; we help Brunswick County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Brunswick County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Brunswick County:
- J Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital — Southport (critical access; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center — Supply (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
Network rules, not geography, decide whether a plan covers a hospital. We look up the hospitals and doctors you use and check them against each plan before you enroll. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Communities and ZIP codes in Brunswick County
People in Brunswick County live in communities such as Leland (30,542), Oak Island (9,480), St. James (7,443), Boiling Spring Lakes (6,658), Carolina Shores (5,307), Shallotte (5,171) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Brunswick County, that means areas such as 28420, 28422, 28451, 28452, 28461, 28462, 28465, 28467, 28468, 28469, 28470, 28479, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Brunswick County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Medicare Care Compare for hospitals and doctors.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- North Carolina Department of Insurance: North Carolina’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Brunswick County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Brunswick County households, including Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (Medigap).
Let’s check your Brunswick County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
Brunswick County compared with similar North Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham County | 50,717 | 52.1% | 11% | Metro |
| Buncombe County | 60,275 | 48.3% | 11% | Metro |
| New Hanover County | 46,870 | 45.3% | 10% | Metro |
| Cumberland County | 44,854 | 58.1% | 13% | Metro |
| Forsyth County | 68,335 | 69.3% | 13% | Metro |
| Gaston County | 39,774 | 63.5% | 15% | Metro |
See every North Carolina county in our North Carolina directory or go to our North Carolina Medicare hub.