Watauga County Medicare at a glance
| Watauga County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 9,655 | 1,908,489 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 17.6% | 17.6% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 10,799 | 2,336,840 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 5,070 | 1,353,169 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 46.9% | 57.9% statewide |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau (2023 population estimates); CMS, September 2026. Medicare Advantage share is enrollees divided by people with Medicare.
With roughly 9,655 residents age 65 and older, Watauga County is 60th among 100 North Carolina counties for older residents. That group is 17.6% of its population, compared with 17.6% across North Carolina. Another 3,170 residents are age 60 to 64 and will reach Medicare eligibility within about five years (see our turning 65 guide). By age, the 65-and-older group splits 61% ages 65 to 74, 30% ages 75 to 84 and 9% age 85 and up (Census 2023). About 46.9% of people with Medicare in Watauga 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 Watauga County
Watauga County is a non-metro county with towns and small cities (USDA: urban population of 20,000 or more, not adjacent to a metro area). Care is often split between local providers and a bigger hospital elsewhere, which is worth testing against each plan’s network.
CMS counts 10,439 Medicare beneficiaries in Watauga 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 Watauga County, CMS reported about 503 emergency room visits and 163 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 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.
Where you live decides which Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can join, and Watauga County may have a different set of plans than the counties around it. We are not based in Watauga County; we help Watauga County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Watauga County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists this hospital in Watauga County:
- Watauga Medical Center — Boone (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.
Where people live in Watauga County
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Watauga County at Boone (19,811), Blowing Rock (1,257), Beech Mountain (599), Seven Devils (275), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Watauga County number 7: 28604, 28605, 28607, 28618, 28679, 28692, 28698. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Watauga 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 Watauga County residents
As an independent agency we are not tied to one insurer, so for Watauga County residents we can compare Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities and Medicare Advantage.
Let’s check your Watauga County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap: how to choose
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
- Do you really need a Medicare agent?
- Medicare 101 for families
Watauga County compared with similar North Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dare County | 9,720 | 25.6% | 5% | Smaller city/town |
| McDowell County | 9,864 | 64.0% | 19% | Smaller city/town |
| Jackson County | 9,174 | 49.7% | 14% | Smaller city/town |
| Halifax County | 10,598 | 61.6% | 23% | Smaller city/town |
| Columbus County | 10,623 | 60.3% | 18% | Smaller city/town |
| Transylvania County | 10,797 | 51.3% | 8% | Smaller city/town |
See every North Carolina county in our North Carolina directory or go to our North Carolina Medicare hub.