Medicare in Surry County by the numbers
| Surry County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 15,258 | 1,908,489 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 21.4% | 17.6% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 18,190 | 2,336,840 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 13,490 | 1,353,169 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 74.2% | 57.9% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
Surry County ranks 40th of 100 North Carolina counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 15,258 people in that age group, or 21.4% of residents (statewide: 17.6%). About 5,185 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 57% ages 65 to 74, 33% ages 75 to 84 and 10% age 85 and up (Census 2023). Medicare Advantage enrollment in Surry County is 74.2% of people with Medicare, higher 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 Surry County
Surry County is a non-metro county with towns and small cities (USDA: urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, 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 19,595 Medicare beneficiaries in Surry County (2023). Their average age is 72, about the same as the North Carolina average of 73. About 19% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, higher than the state figure of 13%. Where many people have both, special plans for dual-eligible members can matter; see our Medicaid and dual eligible guide, since availability varies by plan and area.
Among people in Original Medicare in Surry County, CMS reported about 639 emergency room visits and 232 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 10% 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 Surry County may differ from those in a neighboring county. We are not based in Surry County; we help Surry County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Surry County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Surry County:
- Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital — Elkin (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
- Northern Regional Hospital — Mount Airy (acute care; government-owned; 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.
Surry County: communities and ZIP codes
Census Bureau 2023 estimates put the biggest communities in Surry County at Mount Airy (10,610), Elkin (4,015), Dobson (1,463), Pilot Mountain (1,431), counting only the part of each community inside the county.
We look up plans by ZIP code. In Surry County, that means areas such as 27007, 27017, 27024, 27030, 27041, 27047, 28621, 28676, 28683, based on Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas that lie mostly in the county.
Questions about Medicare in Surry 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 Surry County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Surry County households, including Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities and Medicare Advantage.
Get a clear answer for Surry County
A short call is enough to compare your options. Our help is free to you.
Get my plan comparisonPlain-English Medicare answers
- Do you really need a Medicare agent?
- Medicare 101 for families
- Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap: how to choose
- Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
Surry County compared with similar North Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County | 15,309 | 54.2% | 15% | Smaller city/town |
| Wilkes County | 15,483 | 67.9% | 17% | Smaller city/town |
| Rutherford County | 14,799 | 59.1% | 15% | Smaller city/town |
| Haywood County | 16,420 | 53.9% | 12% | Smaller city/town |
| Stanly County | 12,595 | 64.3% | 18% | Smaller city/town |
| Lenoir County | 11,901 | 57.8% | 25% | Smaller city/town |
See every North Carolina county in our North Carolina directory or go to our North Carolina Medicare hub.