Health · Appalachia
Appalachia, VA health
Appalachia differs from Virginia on 24 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (27.3% vs 11.1%) and more adults with COPD (14.3% vs 6.2%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for AppalachiaTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D−
Appalachia’s Health Grade: D−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Appalachia is healthier than 1% of U.S. towns.
DSelf-rated healthD-Physical distressD-Mental distressD-ObesityDDiabetesD-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 1%
Less healthyHealthier
Virginia towns we grade (374)Healthier than 1%
Towns with similar incomes, $32K–$54K (3,200)Healthier than 4%
About what its income would suggest. Appalachia does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Appalachia could be anywhere from D− to D.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Virginia ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Appalachia with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Appalachia uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Appalachia compares with Virginia
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
47.4% have obesity
0 better2 close10 worse
Habits
37.5% get no exercise
0 better2 close2 worse
Care & screenings
77.7% had a checkup
0 better2 close5 worse
Mind & connection
37.4% feel lonely
0 better2 close3 worse
Everyday needs
25.3% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
45.1% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Appalachia adults…
44 of every 100 Appalachia adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · worse · margin 40.1–49%
Bars show Appalachia; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Appalachia, betterAppalachia, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults
37.5% Appalachia
VA 23.8%
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
37.9% Appalachia
VA 36%
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults
13.2% Appalachia
VA 14.5%
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
25.4% Appalachia
VA 12.2%
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Appalachia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Yearly checkup
VA 79%Dentist visit
VA 68%Cholesterol check
VA 88%Colon screening
VA 67%Mammogram
VA 79%Taking BP meds
VA 77%1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Appalachia 12.7% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Appalachia adults are doing
1 in 3Appalachia adults feel lonely
37.4% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 3Appalachia adults have been diagnosed with depression
29.7% · Virginia 21.8% · worse
1 in 5Appalachia adults lack social or emotional support
22.2% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 4Appalachia adults are in frequent mental distress
23% · Virginia 15.9% · worse
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 4
Appalachia adults worry about having enough food
25.3% · VA 13.1% · worse
1 in 6
Appalachia adults worry about keeping their housing
16.6% · VA 10.9% · worse
1 in 8
Appalachia adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
12.8% · VA 7.1% · worse
1 in 8
Appalachia adults lack reliable transportation
13.3% · VA 7.4% · worse
27.3% of Appalachia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Disability
Living with a disability
45.1%
of Appalachia adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs23.5%
Thinking or memory23.3%
Hearing10.1%
Errands alone15%
Vision9.1%
Dressing or bathing7.3%
Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Appalachia
1 community health center in Appalachia, plus the nearest just outside it.
HNearest ERLonesome Pine HospitalBig Stone Gap · 3.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSt. Charles Health CouncilAppalachia · 1.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.4 mi
St. Charles Health Council
2 sites · nearest in Appalachia
Appalachia Family Health CenterAppalachia · 1.4 mi
St. Charles Respiratory Care CtrSaint Charles · 16.2 mi
11.1 mi
Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation
6 sites · nearest in Cumberland
Cumberland Medical/Dental ClinicCumberland · 11.1 mi
Mchc Purchasing/ReceivingWhitesburg · 14.1 mi
Call CenterWhitesburg · 14.2 mi
Mchc Home MedicalWhitesburg · 14.7 mi
Whitesburg Medical/Dental ClinicWhitesburg · 14.9 mi
Mchc Whitesburg Annex 1Whitesburg · 14.9 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careAppalachia's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wise/Norton City · need score 14 of 25
! Dental careAppalachia's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wise County/Norton City · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthAppalachia's county is a federal shortage area.Planning District I MHCA · need score 18 of 25
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Appalachia. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Appalachia
| Measure | Appalachia | Margin | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 44.4% | 40.1–49% | 35.4% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 41.2% | 37–46.1% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 47.4% | 39.8–56.2% | 34.5% | worse |
| Arthritis | 35.3% | 31.6–39.2% | 26.2% | worse |
| Depression | 29.7% | 25.7–34.4% | 21.8% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 27.3% | 23.2–31.9% | 11.1% | worse |
| Asthma | 12.7% | 11.2–14.4% | 10.4% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.6% | 7.6–9.5% | 7.7% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 18% | 15.5–20.6% | 12.5% | worse |
| COPD | 14.3% | 12–16.6% | 6.2% | worse |
| Heart disease | 10.1% | 8.8–11.5% | 6.1% | worse |
| Stroke | 5.4% | 4.7–6.2% | 3.3% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 25.4% | 21.1–29.9% | 12.2% | worse |
| Binge drink | 13.2% | 10.6–16.4% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 37.5% | 31.4–43.9% | 23.8% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.9% | 31.7–44.7% | 36% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 77.7% | 73.9–81.5% | 79.2% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 50.5% | 46.8–54.2% | 67.9% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 81.5% | 78.3–84.3% | 87.5% | worse |
| Colon screening | 58.7% | 53.5–64.1% | 67.4% | worse |
| Mammogram | 68.7% | 60.4–76.6% | 78.6% | worse |
| Taking BP meds | 77.1% | 74.2–79.9% | 76.8% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 12.7% | 9.5–16.4% | 8.7% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 37.4% | 32–43% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 22.2% | 18.4–26.3% | 21.6% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 23% | 20.2–25.9% | 15.9% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 31% | 26.2–36.2% | 18.1% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 20.8% | 18–23.8% | 12.8% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 25.3% | 20.1–30.8% | 13.1% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 16.6% | 13.5–20% | 10.9% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 12.8% | 10.8–15.1% | 7.1% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 13.3% | 11.1–15.8% | 7.4% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 27.3% | 21.9–32.9% | 10.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.1% | 39.1–51.1% | 30% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 23.5% | 20–27% | 13.5% | |
| Thinking or memory | 23.3% | 19.9–26.9% | 14% | |
| Hearing | 10.1% | 8.7–11.5% | 6.4% | |
| Vision | 9.1% | 7.7–10.5% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 7.3% | 6.2–8.5% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 15% | 12.6–17.4% | 7.7% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Appalachia door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Appalachia better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Appalachia directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Virginia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.