Health · Ashland
Ashland, VA health
On most measures Ashland looks like Virginia as a whole. It has more adults screened for colon cancer (72.3% vs 67.4%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults getting cholesterol checked (84.1% vs 87.5%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for AshlandTownTapestry Health GradeNew
B
Ashland’s Health Grade: B
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, and than 86% of towns with similar incomes.
BSelf-rated healthB+Physical distressCMental distressBObesityBDiabetesB+SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 61%
Less healthyHealthier
Virginia towns we grade (374)Healthier than 53%
Towns with similar incomes, $46K–$76K (8,477)Healthier than 86%
Better than its income would suggest. Ashland is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Ashland could be anywhere from C to A.
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 Ashland 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. Ashland 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 Ashland 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
34.2% have obesity
0 better12 close0 worse
Habits
23.9% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
77.5% had a checkup
1 better5 close1 worse
Mind & connection
35.2% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
13.7% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
33% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Ashland adults…
33 of every 100 Ashland adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · too close to call · margin 29.8–36.7%
Bars show Ashland; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Ashland, betterAshland, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults
23.9% Ashland
VA 23.8%
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
34.5% Ashland
VA 36%
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults
15.2% Ashland
VA 14.5%
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
12.3% Ashland
VA 12.2%
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Ashland 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 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Ashland 8.7% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Ashland adults are doing
1 in 3Ashland adults feel lonely
35.2% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Ashland adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.3% · Virginia 21.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Ashland adults lack social or emotional support
21.5% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Ashland adults are in frequent mental distress
18% · Virginia 15.9% · too close to call
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 7
Ashland adults worry about having enough food
13.7% · VA 13.1% · about the same
1 in 9
Ashland adults worry about keeping their housing
11.3% · VA 10.9% · about the same
1 in 14
Ashland adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.2% · VA 7.1% · about the same
1 in 12
Ashland adults lack reliable transportation
8.3% · VA 7.4% · about the same
11.1% of Ashland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Disability
Living with a disability
33%
of Ashland adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs13.7%
Thinking or memory16.3%
Hearing6.4%
Errands alone8.7%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.5%
Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Ashland
No hospital or community health center in Ashland itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERBon Secours Memorial Regional Medical CenterMechanicsville · 10.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careDaily Planet, IncorporatedGlen Allen · 7.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.4 mi
Daily Planet, Incorporated
5 sites · nearest in Glen Allen
Hamhds Woodman CenterGlen Allen · 7.4 mi
Daily Planet Health ServicesRichmond · 14.8 mi
Daily Planet Healthcare for the Homeless ProgramRichmond · 14.8 mi
East Cary Health CenterRichmond · 15.2 mi
Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services East End CenterRichmond · 15.9 mi
10.2 mi
Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center
Mechanicsville · ★★★★★
12.4 mi
Capital Area Health Network
3 sites · nearest in Richmond
Pediatric Medical CenterRichmond · 12.4 mi
Henderson Health Services (Vuu)Richmond · 13.8 mi
Vernon J. Harris East End ChcRichmond · 15.8 mi
Nothing matches.
✓ Primary careAshland is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careAshland is not a shortage area
! Mental healthAshland's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Hanover County MHCA 18 · 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 Ashland. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Ashland
| Measure | Ashland | Margin | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 33.2% | 29.8–36.7% | 35.4% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 36.6% | 33–40.2% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 34.2% | 28.1–40.6% | 34.5% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6% | 22–27.2% | 26.2% | about the same |
| Depression | 23.3% | 20.2–26.6% | 21.8% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 10.6% | 8.6–12.8% | 11.1% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11% | 9.8–12.2% | 10.4% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7.4% | 6.8–8.1% | 7.7% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8% | 10.3–13.3% | 12.5% | about the same |
| COPD | 6.3% | 5.5–7.2% | 6.2% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5% | 6.1% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.3% | 3–3.6% | 3.3% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.3% | 10.4–14.5% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 15.2% | 12.7–18% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 23.9% | 20.3–28.1% | 23.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.5% | 29.3–39.9% | 36% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 77.5% | 74.1–80.5% | 79.2% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 66.5% | 63.1–69.7% | 67.9% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 84.1% | 81.6–86.3% | 87.5% | worse |
| Colon screening | 72.3% | 67.9–76.4% | 67.4% | better |
| Mammogram | 76.4% | 69.5–82.4% | 78.6% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 76.1% | 73.6–78.1% | 76.8% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 8.7% | 7.1–10.8% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 35.2% | 30.4–40.7% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 21.5% | 18.3–25.5% | 21.6% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18% | 15.9–20.4% | 15.9% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 18.1% | 15.6–21% | 18.1% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 13.1% | 11.5–14.8% | 12.8% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 13.7% | 11.3–16.6% | 13.1% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 11.3% | 9.5–13.3% | 10.9% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.2% | 6.2–8.5% | 7.1% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8.3% | 7.2–9.8% | 7.4% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 11.1% | 9.3–13.5% | 10.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33% | 29.1–37.9% | 30% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 13.7% | 11.9–15.5% | 13.5% | |
| Thinking or memory | 16.3% | 14.1–19% | 14% | |
| Hearing | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1% | 6.4% | |
| Vision | 4.9% | 4.4–5.5% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.5% | 3.1–3.9% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 8.7% | 7.5–10% | 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 Ashland door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Ashland better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Ashland 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.