HNC 2030 Scorecard: New Hanover County (2022-2025)

New Hanover County is located in the southeastern part of North Carolina and was established in 1729, New Hanover County was formed from Craven County, one of the three original counties in North Carolina.  New Hanover County is the second smallest county within the state but is one of the most densely populated areas.  The county has four (4) municipalities: Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach.  New Hanover County is surrounded by Brunswick County to the West and Pender County to the South.  Geographically, the county is 192.2 square miles.  According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, New Hanover County's population is ~225,702 residents. 

Every three to four years, local health departments are required by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board to conduct a community health assessment.  Non-for- profit hospitals are also required to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) as legislated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.  New Hanover County Health and Human Services and Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center partnered to complete one assessment meeting the requirements of NC DHHS, the Local Health Department Accreditation Board and the Internal Revenue Services.  The purpose of this joint assessment is to examine the health of New Hanover County and determine the health priorities that will be the focus for improving community health over the next three years (2022-2025).  

The Community Health Assessment Team analyzed primary and secondary data and identified the following top three health priorities for New Hanover County. 

• Housing
• Substance Use and Mental Health
• Access to Care

Below are icon descriptions that are used throughout the scorecard to tell the story of what is happening in New Hanover County as it relates the the three priority areas: