Health · Covington
Covington, VA health
Covington differs from Virginia on 22 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (11.4% vs 6.2%) and more smokers (20.3% vs 12.2%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for CovingtonTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D
Covington’s Health Grade: D
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Covington is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns, and than 30% of towns with similar incomes.
DSelf-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressC-ObesityDDiabetesDSmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 7%
Less healthyHealthier
Virginia towns we grade (374)Healthier than 5%
Towns with similar incomes, $31K–$52K (2,852)Healthier than 30%
Better than its income would suggest. Covington is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Covington could be anywhere from D− to C.
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 Covington 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. Covington 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 Covington 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
41.1% have obesity
0 better3 close9 worse
Habits
33.3% get no exercise
0 better2 close2 worse
Care & screenings
79.5% had a checkup
0 better3 close4 worse
Mind & connection
35.4% feel lonely
0 better2 close3 worse
Everyday needs
19.9% face food insecurity
0 better1 close4 worse
Disability
41.4% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Covington adults…
43 of every 100 Covington adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · worse · margin 38.4–47.9%
Bars show Covington; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Covington, betterCovington, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults
33.3% Covington
VA 23.8%
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
36.7% Covington
VA 36%
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults
13.4% Covington
VA 14.5%
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
20.3% Covington
VA 12.2%
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Covington 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 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Covington 10.9% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Covington adults are doing
1 in 3Covington adults feel lonely
35.4% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Covington adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.8% · Virginia 21.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Covington adults lack social or emotional support
23.1% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 5Covington adults are in frequent mental distress
19.7% · 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 5
Covington adults worry about having enough food
19.9% · VA 13.1% · worse
1 in 7
Covington adults worry about keeping their housing
14.4% · VA 10.9% · worse
1 in 10
Covington adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.3% · VA 7.1% · worse
1 in 10
Covington adults lack reliable transportation
10.5% · VA 7.4% · worse
19.6% of Covington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Disability
Living with a disability
41.4%
of Covington adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs21.4%
Thinking or memory19.2%
Hearing9.5%
Errands alone12.2%
Vision7.3%
Dressing or bathing5.8%
Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Covington
No hospital or community health center in Covington itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERLewisgale Hospital AlleghanyLow Moor · 2.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careRainelle Medical CenterWhite Sulphur Springs · 16.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
16.6 mi
Rainelle Medical Center
6 sites · nearest in White Sulphur Springs
White Sulphur Springs Health CenterWhite Sulphur Springs · 16.6 mi
Lewisburg Behavioral HealthCaldwell · 19.9 mi
Maxwelton Health CenterMaxwelton · 23.4 mi
Rmc Lewisburg Pediatrics and Family Health CenterLewisburg · 24.4 mi
Lewisburg Health CenterLewisburg · 25.8 mi
Eastern Greenbrier Health CenterLewisburg · 26.6 mi
20.3 mi
Monroe County Health Department
2 sites · nearest in New Castle
Craig County Dental CenterNew Castle · 20.3 mi
Craig County Health CenterNew Castle · 20.3 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careCovington's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alleghany County/Covington City · need score 19 of 25
! Dental careCovington's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alleghany County/Covington City · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthCovington's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alleghany Highlands MHCA · need score 14 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 Covington. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Covington
| Measure | Covington | Margin | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 43.2% | 38.4–47.9% | 35.4% | worse |
| High cholesterol | 42.1% | 37.2–47% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 41.1% | 32–50.8% | 34.5% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 34.6% | 30.7–38.4% | 26.2% | worse |
| Depression | 25.8% | 21.8–30% | 21.8% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 16.5% | 13.4–19.8% | 11.1% | worse |
| Asthma | 11.9% | 10.5–13.4% | 10.4% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.2% | 8.3–10.2% | 7.7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 16.8% | 14.7–19.2% | 12.5% | worse |
| COPD | 11.4% | 10–12.7% | 6.2% | worse |
| Heart disease | 9.3% | 8.4–10.4% | 6.1% | worse |
| Stroke | 5.1% | 4.7–5.6% | 3.3% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.3% | 17.3–23.2% | 12.2% | worse |
| Binge drink | 13.4% | 10.7–16.4% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 33.3% | 28–38.7% | 23.8% | worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7% | 29.8–44.1% | 36% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 79.5% | 75.8–82.9% | 79.2% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 61.3% | 57.6–65% | 67.9% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 85.2% | 83.2–87.1% | 87.5% | worse |
| Colon screening | 65.1% | 60–70% | 67.4% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 70.9% | 62.5–78.5% | 78.6% | worse |
| Taking BP meds | 79.7% | 76.7–82.3% | 76.8% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.9% | 9.1–12.9% | 8.7% | worse |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 35.4% | 29.9–41.1% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 23.1% | 19.6–27% | 21.6% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 19.7% | 17.5–22.1% | 15.9% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 26.8% | 23.5–30.1% | 18.1% | worse |
| Frequent physical distress | 18.3% | 16.1–20.5% | 12.8% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 19.9% | 17–23% | 13.1% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 14.4% | 12.4–16.6% | 10.9% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 10.3% | 9–11.8% | 7.1% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 10.5% | 9.2–11.9% | 7.4% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 19.6% | 16.9–22.6% | 10.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.4% | 36.3–46.4% | 30% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 21.4% | 18.8–24% | 13.5% | |
| Thinking or memory | 19.2% | 17–21.6% | 14% | |
| Hearing | 9.5% | 8.4–10.7% | 6.4% | |
| Vision | 7.3% | 6.6–8.1% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 5.8% | 5.2–6.4% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 12.2% | 10.8–13.7% | 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 Covington door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Covington better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Covington 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.