Health · Chilhowie

Chilhowie, VA health

Chilhowie differs from Virginia on 14 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (81.1% vs 76.8%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (10.1% vs 6.2%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Chilhowie
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Chilhowie’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Chilhowie is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns, and than 55% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthDPhysical distressC+Mental distressB-ObesityC-DiabetesCSmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 25%
Less healthyHealthier
Virginia towns we grade (374)Healthier than 22%
Towns with similar incomes, $39K–$64K (5,763)Healthier than 55%

Better than its income would suggest. Chilhowie is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Chilhowie could be anywhere from D− to B.
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 Chilhowie 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. Chilhowie 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 Chilhowie 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

Out of every 100 Chilhowie adults…

41 of every 100 Chilhowie adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · worse · margin 36.3–45.4%

Bars show Chilhowie; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Chilhowie, betterChilhowie, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 29.6% Chilhowie
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 36.8% Chilhowie
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.4% Chilhowie
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16.2% Chilhowie
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Chilhowie adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.

80%
Yearly checkup
VA 79%
60%
Dentist visit
VA 68%
88%
Cholesterol check
VA 88%
67%
Colon screening
VA 67%
74%
Mammogram
VA 79%
81%
Taking BP meds
VA 77%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Chilhowie 9.5% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Chilhowie adults are doing

1 in 3Chilhowie adults feel lonely
33.2% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Chilhowie adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.9% · Virginia 21.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Chilhowie adults lack social or emotional support
20.1% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Chilhowie adults are in frequent mental distress
17.5% · 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
Chilhowie adults worry about having enough food
13.8% · VA 13.1% · about the same
1 in 10
Chilhowie adults worry about keeping their housing
10.2% · VA 10.9% · about the same
1 in 14
Chilhowie adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7% · VA 7.1% · about the same
1 in 13
Chilhowie adults lack reliable transportation
7.7% · VA 7.4% · about the same

12.5% of Chilhowie adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.

Disability

Living with a disability

37.3%

of Chilhowie adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs19.4%
Thinking or memory16.5%
Hearing9.7%
Errands alone10.4%
Vision6%
Dressing or bathing4.7%

Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Chilhowie

No hospital or community health center in Chilhowie itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERSmyth County Community HospitalMarion · 11.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyRussell County Hospital★★★★★ · 22.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthwest Virginia Community HealthSaltville · 6.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.9 mi
Southwest Virginia Community Health
4 sites · nearest in Saltville
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
9.7 mi
St. Charles Health Council
2 sites · nearest in Damascus
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
11.3 mi
Smyth County Community Hospital
Marion · ★★★★★
ER
18.1 mi
Johnston Memorial Hospital
Abingdon · ★★★★★
ER
21.7 mi
Clinch Valley Medical Center
Richlands · ★★★★★
ER
22.9 mi
Russell County Hospital
Lebanon · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careChilhowie's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Smyth · need score 9 of 25
! Dental careChilhowie's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Smyth County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthChilhowie's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Mount Rogers MHCA · need score 17 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 Chilhowie. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Chilhowie
MeasureChilhowieMarginVirginia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure40.9%36.3–45.4%35.4%worse
High cholesterol42%37.4–46.8%38%about the same
Obesity36.7%28.9–45.1%34.5%about the same
Arthritis34.5%30.7–38.4%26.2%worse
Depression24.9%21.3–28.9%21.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17.4%14.2–21%11.1%worse
Asthma11.2%9.8–12.7%10.4%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.8%9.6–12%7.7%worse
Diabetes14.9%12.6–17.3%12.5%worse
COPD10.1%8.3–12.3%6.2%worse
Heart disease9%7.7–10.4%6.1%worse
Stroke4.6%3.9–5.4%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16.2%13–19.8%12.2%worse
Binge drink13.4%11–16.3%14.5%about the same
Get no exercise29.6%24.2–35.7%23.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours36.8%30.3–43.7%36%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.4%77–83.7%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit59.9%56.1–63.6%67.9%worse
Cholesterol check87.5%85.4–89.5%87.5%about the same
Colon screening67%61.8–71.9%67.4%about the same
Mammogram73.9%65.6–81.2%78.6%about the same
Taking BP meds81.1%78.2–83.6%76.8%better
No health insurance9.5%7.2–11.9%8.7%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.2%28–39%33.8%about the same
Lack emotional support20.1%16.5–23.9%21.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress17.5%15.2–20%15.9%about the same
Fair or poor health23.3%19.5–27.7%18.1%worse
Frequent physical distress16.9%14.5–19.7%12.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity13.8%10.9–16.8%13.1%about the same
Housing insecurity10.2%8.4–12.2%10.9%about the same
Utility shut-off threat7%5.8–8.3%7.1%about the same
No reliable transportation7.7%6.4–9%7.4%about the same
Receive SNAP12.5%9.8–15.4%10.7%
Disability
Any disability37.3%32.1–43.2%30%
Walking or climbing stairs19.4%16.2–22.9%13.5%
Thinking or memory16.5%14.1–19.5%14%
Hearing9.7%8.4–11.2%6.4%
Vision6%5.1–7.1%4.7%
Dressing or bathing4.7%3.9–5.7%3.5%
Errands alone10.4%8.6–12.4%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 Chilhowie door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Chilhowie better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Chilhowie 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.

We left the porch light on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Chilhowie, VAView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map
Loading boundary…

Chilhowie is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01