Medicare in Lincoln County by the numbers
| Lincoln County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 18,924 | 1,908,489 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 19.8% | 17.6% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 21,992 | 2,336,840 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 13,440 | 1,353,169 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 61.1% | 57.9% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
Among North Carolina’s 100 counties, Lincoln County comes in 35th for residents age 65 and up (18,924). Older adults make up 19.8% of the population here; the state figure is 17.6%. The 7,329 residents now between 60 and 64 will become Medicare-eligible soon, and our turning 65 guide walks through it. By age, the 65-and-older group splits 60% ages 65 to 74, 32% ages 75 to 84 and 8% age 85 and up (Census 2023). About 61.1% of people with Medicare in Lincoln County are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is close to 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 Lincoln County
Lincoln County is a metro county; the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes it as: counties in metro areas of 1 million population or more. Metro counties usually have more hospitals and more insurers competing for Medicare members, so there can be more plans to compare.
CMS counts 22,448 Medicare beneficiaries in Lincoln County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the North Carolina average of 73. About 10% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, lower than the state figure of 13%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Lincoln County, CMS reported about 569 emergency room visits and 205 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 9% 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 Lincoln County may differ from those in a neighboring county. We are not based in Lincoln County; we help Lincoln County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Lincoln County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Lincoln County:
- Atrium Health Lincoln — Lincolnton (acute care; government-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
A hospital being in the county does not mean every plan covers it. Medicare Advantage networks differ by plan, so we check the hospitals and doctors you actually use 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.
Lincoln County: communities and ZIP codes
The largest communities in Lincoln County by 2023 Census population estimates are Lincolnton (12,128), Maiden (3). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Lincoln County, that means areas such as 28033, 28037, 28080, 28092, 28168, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Lincoln 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.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Medicare.gov: Medigap on how Medicare Supplement works.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- North Carolina Department of Insurance: North Carolina’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Lincoln County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Lincoln 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).
Ready to compare plans in Lincoln County?
Tell us your doctors and medicines and we will show you what fits. No cost, no pressure.
Get my plan comparisonMedicare guides for Lincoln County residents
- How to read your Medicare Annual Notice of Change
- Medicare 101 for families
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Does Medicare cover dental, vision and hearing?
Lincoln County compared with similar North Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nash County | 19,132 | 60.0% | 14% | Metro |
| Burke County | 19,499 | 65.2% | 19% | Metro |
| Rockingham County | 20,123 | 76.8% | 21% | Metro |
| Caldwell County | 17,365 | 68.8% | 17% | Metro |
| Wayne County | 20,839 | 58.2% | 17% | Metro |
| Chatham County | 21,174 | 49.6% | 6% | Metro |
See every North Carolina county in our North Carolina directory or go to our North Carolina Medicare hub.