Medicare in Carteret County by the numbers
| Carteret County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 19,399 | 1,908,489 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 27.9% | 17.6% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 22,745 | 2,336,840 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 9,411 | 1,353,169 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 41.4% | 57.9% statewide |
Figures come from the Census Bureau and CMS (September 2026).
Among North Carolina’s 100 counties, Carteret County comes in 32nd for residents age 65 and up (19,399). Older adults make up 27.9% of the population here; the state figure is 17.6%. About 6,318 more people are 60 to 64 and are heading toward Medicare; our turning 65 guide explains their first steps. By age, the 65-and-older group splits 61% ages 65 to 74, 31% ages 75 to 84 and 9% age 85 and up (Census 2023). About 41.4% of people with Medicare in Carteret County are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is lower than the North Carolina average of 57.9%. What most people do in a county is less important than what fits you. We weigh Medicare Advantage against Original Medicare with Medigap using your doctors, your drugs and your budget.
Who has Medicare in Carteret County
The USDA classifies Carteret County as: urban population of 20,000 or more, adjacent to a metro area. In counties of this type, people often travel to a larger neighboring county for specialists, so we check whether your plan’s network reaches there.
CMS counts 21,928 Medicare beneficiaries in Carteret County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the North Carolina average of 73. About 9% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 13%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Carteret County, CMS reported about 551 emergency room visits and 192 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is close to the state average for emergency visits (572) and close to it for hospital stays (210). About 8% 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.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability and provider networks are set county by county, so the plans open to you in Carteret County may differ from those in a neighboring county. We are not based in Carteret County; we help Carteret County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Carteret County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Carteret County:
- Carteret General Hospital — Morehead City (acute care; for-profit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 2 of 5)
Being located in the county is not the same as being in your plan’s network. Each Medicare Advantage plan builds its own network, so we confirm that your hospital and your doctors are included before you choose. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Carteret County: communities and ZIP codes
People in Carteret County live in communities such as Morehead City (9,863), Beaufort (4,804), Newport (4,494), Emerald Isle (3,966), Cape Carteret (2,270), Cedar Point (1,814) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Carteret County number 17: 28511, 28512, 28516, 28520, 28524, 28528, 28531, 28553, 28557, 28570, 28575, 28577, 28579, 28581 and 3 more. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Carteret 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 Carteret County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Carteret County households, including group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance and ICHRA.
Let’s check your Carteret County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- Why a Medicare Advantage plan drops a doctor or drug
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- Medicare Parts A, B, C and D explained
Carteret County compared with similar North Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County | 19,581 | 62.7% | 17% | Smaller city/town |
| Robeson County | 19,007 | 75.0% | 27% | Smaller city/town |
| Harnett County | 19,862 | 56.4% | 13% | Smaller city/town |
| Craven County | 22,151 | 42.1% | 9% | Smaller city/town |
| Haywood County | 16,420 | 53.9% | 12% | Smaller city/town |
| Wilkes County | 15,483 | 67.9% | 17% | Smaller city/town |
See every North Carolina county in our North Carolina directory or go to our North Carolina Medicare hub.