Honorbrook Insurance is an independent agency licensed in North Carolina, helping Wake County residents choose Medicare, ACA, life and retirement coverage by phone or video call. Our help is free to you, and because we are independent, we compare plans from many carriers instead of selling one company’s products.
Medicare in Wake County
Wake County includes Raleigh, the county seat and state capital, along with Cary, Apex and Wake Forest. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 population estimates, about 159,366 Wake County residents are age 65 or older, so choosing the right Medicare coverage is a decision many of your neighbors are making too. Whether you are turning 65, retiring, or reviewing your current plan, we can walk through your choices with you on a call at a time that suits you.
Major hospitals and health systems serving the county include WakeMed Raleigh Campus, UNC Rex Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital. Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability and provider networks are set county by county, and they can change every year. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is the same nationwide, but the private plans you can add to it are not. That is why we check the plans offered where you live and confirm that your doctors and pharmacy are included before you enroll.
Wake County Medicare at a glance
| Wake County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 159,366 | 1,908,489 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 13.4% | 17.6% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 189,332 | 2,336,840 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 99,991 | 1,353,169 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 52.8% | 57.9% statewide |
Sources: Census Bureau 2023 estimates and CMS Medicare Advantage penetration, September 2026.
Wake County ranks 1st of 100 North Carolina counties by number of residents age 65 and older, with about 159,366 people in that age group, or 13.4% of residents (statewide: 17.6%). About 65,441 more people are 60 to 64 and are heading toward Medicare; our turning 65 guide explains their first steps. Among residents 65 and older, 60% are 65 to 74, 31% are 75 to 84 and 9% are 85 or older (Census 2023 estimates). About 52.8% of people with Medicare in Wake 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 Wake County
Wake 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 176,625 Medicare beneficiaries in Wake 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 Wake County, CMS reported about 527 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.
Where people live in Wake County
People in Wake County live in communities such as Raleigh (480,692), Cary (176,063), Apex (72,218), Wake Forest (51,794), Holly Springs (46,271), Fuquay-Varina (43,817) (2023 population estimates, counting only the part of each community that lies inside the county).
ZIP codes that fall mostly inside Wake County include 27502, 27511, 27513, 27518, 27519, 27529, 27539, 27540, 27545, 27560, 27571, 27587, 27591, 27592 and 17 more. Plan availability can change by ZIP code, so have yours ready when we compare plans.
Questions about Medicare in Wake 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 Wake County residents
As an independent agency we are not tied to one insurer, so for Wake County residents we can compare ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans and ACA health insurance.
Let’s review your Wake County options together
A phone or video call is all it takes. We will check your doctors and prescriptions first.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- 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?
Wake County compared with similar North Carolina counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | 143,690 | 55.4% | 11% | Metro |
| Guilford County | 89,625 | 72.0% | 14% | Metro |
| Forsyth County | 68,335 | 69.3% | 13% | Metro |
| Buncombe County | 60,275 | 48.3% | 11% | Metro |
| Brunswick County | 55,001 | 44.5% | 5% | Metro |
| Durham County | 50,717 | 52.1% | 11% | Metro |
See every North Carolina county in our North Carolina directory or go to our North Carolina Medicare hub.